Jürgen Bley (Bli) is a freelance painter and graphic designer. He has dedicated himself to the visual arts since 2011 and works primarily with acrylic mixed media. The artist is a self-taught artist with a penchant for surrealism. With his dark figures and sinister depictions, Bli aims to visualise the morbidly incomprehensible. The fractures between the real and the surreal exert a peculiar fascination on him. The most frequent themes are from the world of mysticism and dreams and always a drift into the unknown. Sexual allusions merge with depictions of death and life to create a style that deals with the eternal cycle of becoming and passing away, creation and destruction.
Bli is a board member of the Gmundner Kunstverein and a member of the Hausruckviertler Kunstkreis and TRAUN-ART.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The attraction of art is not to depict things in a pleasing way. In painting, the focus is on the flip side of pleasing and the endeavour to give expression to the brute. Our world was not designed on a drawing board, neatly and correctly moulded. It has developed from a big bang. This development has always been accompanied by huge upheavals, by something impetuous, raw and coarse that stirs and touches in its unvarnishedness. Painting is an exciting journey of discovery, an immersion in the world of creation. You never know exactly what will come out in the end. Only the hand, the colour, the canvas. Shadows emerge from the structure, hints of figures and things. An idea builds up. It is pursued. And just like a real adventure, you are suddenly faced with challenges that you have to overcome. The viewer also senses the fascination that emanates from these depths and surprises and feels touched by them. Whether it triggers a positive or negative touch is not important. The essential thing is the awakening of feelings, the awakening of thoughts that stimulate reflection.
EXHIBITIONS
2024 „Lemniskate“ Curator: Johannes Angerbauer Goldhoff, Steyr Town Hall Gallery – AUT (Jürgen Bley and ONA B) „Anton Bruckner – his legacy in Sierning“ Curator: Gabriela Bley, group exhibition organised by the HKK – Municipality of Sierning „Ante Mortem“ Curator: Septicwag, Neudegg – AUT (solo exhibition) „Knochenwald“ Curator: Septicwag, Neudegg – AUT „Gmundner Kunstspazierer“ Gmunden – AUT „Potentials OÖ“ Art fair, Gmunden – AUT „Charity Vernissage“ Curator: Mathias Kretschmer: Kammerhof Museum, Gmunden – AUT „Winter Opening“ Curator: Gottfried Sager, Schwanthaler Gallery, Gmunden – AUT
2023 „Polizei“ Curator: Hermann Holzner, LPD-Linz – AUT „Carne Val“ Sierning Municipal Office Gallery – AUT (solo exhibition) „Traun ART„ group exhibition, curator: Hermann Holzner, Traun Castle – AUT “Tödlein„, curator: Cristiene Pahl, Atelier-Galerie am Markt, Gmunden – AUT (solo exhibition) “Ursprung” Curator: Mag.a phil. Ingeborg Rauss, HKK-Kunstraum, Vöcklabruck – AUT (solo exhibition)
2022 „Winter Exhibition – Bli“, Reithof, Filzmoos – AUT „Different Together“, curator: Renate Heiz, Anton Bruckner Centre, Ansfelden – AUT „Mountain Art Project“, Curator: John Wieser, Filzmoos – AUT “amoc/RAUF“, Curator: Johannes Angerbauer Goldhoff, Steyr Town Hall Gallery – AUT „Crazy“, Curator: Ingeborg Rauss, Lebzelterhaus, Vöcklabruck – AUT
2021 “divers/ES” Curator: Johannes Angerbauer Goldhoff, Rathausgalerie Steyr – AUT „Bunadh“ Curator: Bernd Prudovic, Galerie WIENSTATION – AUT (solo exhibition) „Bli at Sintwerk“, St. Florian, AUT (solo exhibition)
2020 „Biennale Austria Group Exhibition“, Art-Pool, Vienna – AUT „Inner Knowledge„, Curator: ONA-B, Feistritz Castle, Feistritz am Wechsel – AUT „Anniversary Exhibition“, Curator: Walter Matischek, Galerie im Weinlager, Nuremberg – DE
2019 „L’Asylum Fantastic Fest‘, Malmontone, Rome – IT “Traun-ART & AKU-Weiz Group Exhibition„, Weiz – AUT “Kunstlabor Group Exhibition„, Curator: Hermann Holzner, Ansfelden – AUT “Kitzbühel Art Summer„, Kitzbühel – AUT “Traun ART Group Exhibition„, Curator: Hermann Holzner, Traun Castle – AUT “Black Night Bodypainting„, Curator: Walter Matischek, Galerie im Weinlager, Nuremberg – DE
2018 „Traumnetz“ Curator: ONA-B, Feistritz Castle, Feistritz am Wechsel – AUT
2017 „Group exhibition: blue, bleu, blau, blu“, Vienna – AUT „Art Basel“, Basel – CH
2016 „Jürgen Bley“, curator: Walter Matischek, Galerie im Weinlager, Nuremberg – DE (solo exhibition) „Schwarze Nacht“ Blacklight Bodypainting, Curator: Walter Matischek, Galerie im Weinlager – DE „MORBID“ Galerie Freiraum, Steyr – AUT (solo exhibition) „GASTSPIEL“ Biennale Austria, Curator: Christine Dörfel, Galerie am Färbebrach, Steinbach an der Steyr – AUT „Dream, Wish and Fable“, Curator: ONA-B, Feistritz Castle, Feistritz am Wechsel – AUT
2015 „Polaritäten“ Curator: Christine Dörfel, Galerie am Färbebrach, Steinbach an der Steyr – AUT (solo exhibition) „Duttlmonster“ Pilswerke, Steinbach an der Steyr – AUT (solo exhibition) „And the Forests Forever Beckon“ Curator: Bianka Ahlgrimm, Galerie Kunststück Berlin/Kunstsalon & Produzentengalerie, Berlin – DE „The Dream“ Curator: ONA-B, Feistritz Castle, Feistritz am Wechsel – AUT
2014 „Inner Painting“ Curator: ONA-B, Feistritz Castle, Feistritz am Wechsel – AUT
2011 „METAMORPHOSE“ Curator: Christine Dörfel, Galerie am Färberbach, Steinbach an der Steyr – AUT „Jürgen Bley“ Pilswerke, Steinbach an der Steyr – AUT Private exhibitions