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| "Feel so Pretty" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Shy" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Compassion Required" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Tribal Leader" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Member of the Upper House" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Self-portrait II" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Sanctuary" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Self-portrait" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
I´d like to know what you think of Klem's weirdo faces or masks sculptured into wet concrete on his portion of wall along Calle Labertino, a whisper away from where I feed 10 feral cats daily near the top of the village.
I knew about these primal masks, fanciful faces, some sculpted with mosaics and atop them all, a Christian cross.
Until I met Klemens Topp, retired career German cop, I didn´t know the author of these wall works.
Klem and wife own a townhouse, a very old original Moorish residence, and live here during winters. They live in their newphew´s home in a small Hungarian village eight kilometers from the Serbian border during summers.
I thought Klem created these masks.
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| Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
I always admired them, finding a sense of joy and amusement and then more than a hint of spiritiualism in the Christian symbols.
I saw him this morning thoroughly cleaning his Spanish neighbor´s property with a broom.
“Hey, Klem, what are you doing?" I asked.
“No, just helping…I have the time and the woman of the house is not doing very well,” he told me.
A few weeks ago, I asked Klem if the wall sculptures and Christian icon came from his mind and hands.
He smiled and nodded.
He´s not a sculptor or painter, although he´s obviously skilled.
Klem is a primal artist.
We are all primal artists, capable of such acts of playful and abstract creativity.
I define art as a state of mind.
Klem has no titles for these, so I thought I would invent them, since they have been talking to me for a couple years as I frequent the Labertino Colony.
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| "Self-portrait" III by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
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| "Child" by Klemens Topp Photograph by Stefan van Drake (2011) |
Rock on and practice peace and love.
Stefan, the ArtTraveler ™
ArtTraveler notes:
The owner and staff are affable and speak English and German. Tel: 0036-1-413-3510; www.hotelqueenmary.hu; info@hotelqueenmary.hu.
Visit Andalusia for a walking holiday or week-long sculpture or mosaics workshop.
