Heavy Mädel - "FürstFürst"-Serie, später "Stars and Stripes"-Serie,

2009

Material / Technology / Carrier

Münzen, Pigment, Acryl und Öl auf Papier

Dimensions of the object

273,1 x 182,9 cm

Displayed

Not on display

Department

Museum Brandhorst

Genre

Malerei

Inventory number

UAB 1110

Acquisition

2018 Udo und Anette Brandhorst Stiftung

Stock

Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Museum Brandhorst München

Citation

Kerstin Brätsch for DAS INSTITUT, Heavy Mädel - "FürstFürst"-Serie, später "Stars and Stripes"-Serie, 2009, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen - Museum Brandhorst München, URL: https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/en/artwork/2mxq3KYG8b (Last updated on 19.06.2023)

In 2009, shortly after the financial crisis began, Kerstin Brätsch started working on a series of coin paintings. “Heavy Mädel” is one of the first two works in this series. Onto a dark background in iridescent hues, she glued American coins in the form of a large "X". Paper as a medium is not particularly well-suited for such a treatment: the coins weigh down the paper and occasionally some fall off. But Brätsch likes the fact that her paintings become “wishing wells”—as if one could seal one’s fortune with a few cents. The work thus refers to a long tradition; in religious contexts painting is regarded as a powerful medium with transcendent qualities. At the same time, the coins address the question of the value of art, especially of painting, which is increasingly determined by the art market.