Gallery's offerings aren't just for looking

European Art Gallery/CityLoftArt
Where: 61 NE 40th St., Miami Design DistrictHours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment.Contact: 305-438-9006. EUArtGalleryMIA@bellsouth.net. www.EUArtGalleryMiami.comBY JO WERNE
Special to The Miami Herald
Visitors to the European Art Gallery are encouraged to touch the art.
Three-dimensional works by artist Irmaly Brackin combine layers of resin, enamel, glass and metallic acrylics, framed in glass beads and marbles. The granddaughter of the famous German expressionist painter Hans Grohs, Brackin creates art that is sophisticated and full of texture and depth.
Works by Elmar Hund combine oil and acrylic colors on multiple layers of canvas, cotton, linen and wood, highlighted with 24-carat gold leaf.
Gallery owner and curator Hans-Juergen R. Klemm shares stories about his artists in a newsletter. One article related how an accident Hund experienced in his workshop changed his style of painting.
''A box of gold powder fell into the open liquid resin bath and the result was just perfect. One melted marvelously into the other! And he started to work with this technique, blowing powders into resin and using gold leaf under the resin,'' he wrote.
Besides selling art, this gallery in the Miami Design District features unique furniture, including acrylic tables with transparent tops and colorful bases. Klemm also features tables made of birch wood panels by Louis Lapreise of Montreal. Prices range from $6,500 to $6,900.
''They are works of art in themselves,'' says Klemm. ``There is no need to cover them with a cloth.''
He believes that ``art is part of interior decoration. It's powerful and must be well thought through. My job is to find art that is pleasing. A painting has to speak by itself.''
A German citizen who grew up in Baden-Baden, Klemm lived in France for 20 years working as an export-director for French and Italian companies in the interior design and luxury business, including Balenciaga and Descamps. He moved to Miami in 2004.
''After almost four years with this gallery, I decided to change its name to CityLoftArt in order to present a new art-interior design concept, showing the colorful wall art work in coordination with furniture-art pieces featuring wood and acrylics,'' Klemm says. The name change takes effect soon.
Klemm has an ambitious dream. Among the sculptures in his showroom are works by artist-architect Lily Wicnudel of Buenos Aires. Her sculptures feature swooshing water in brushed steel and glass. Klemm wants to establish a ''Fountain Park'' in Miami with 12 fountains designed by Wicnudel.
''Twelve fountains are the challenge to imagination and technology,'' explains Klemm, who is approaching private investors and public officials about the project.
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