Dieter Runge

Aloha Friends,

      On April 9th, a group of workers will tear up my cottage, put micro pilings into the floor and jack up the whole house to stop it from sinking more. This will be a massive interruption with sledgehammers and large amounts of dust. Everything has to be moved around and I won’t be able to work and probably not even stay.

     I would like to take the opportunity to travel to NY and conduct some interviews and continue writing on my book tentatively called “Give me Release,” The New York Niggers rescue a forlorn white boy and release a cult record. I do have a publisher, did a a lot of writing already and have collected some letters from participants in this project. I plan to meet and conduct interviews with two members of the band with whom I am in contact now.

This is my gofundme site. Any donation is welcome. Below on this page is a list of art I offer.

     The book is about my first two years in New York and the amazing open and creative time when punk, salsa, hiphop and disco all were started and thrived in a city that was pretty much declared bankrupt, a time when people from all races lived and created art, music, fashion together with a passion and open spirit that has had an incredible impact on culture to this day. It is the story of two black guys who founded a band, rescue a white boy off the street. Soon he was part of the band, which a year later recorded a 7″ vinyl record that took on a life of its own even after the band dissolved in 1980 and has sold for up to $ 1 000 on the secondary market of which the artists see nothing. It appeared in a major museum exhibit and has been bootlegged several times.

     I am not asking for charity and below is a list of art and how you can buy it. You can also support me by floating some Hawaiian Airlines miles in my direction or in any other ways that allow me to go to New York, pay my rent and realize my next major inspirational project.

For that past 8 months I have worked in my studio almost every day. In the fall I participated in several art fairs and this year in two gallery exhibitions. My new work is at Cedar Street Galleries and Sunshine Art Galleries, both on Oahu.

“Celebrating Mo’o,  The Lizard Goddess Perches on a Rock in ‘Dao Valley After Taking a Bath.” oil on canvas, 60″ x 42″, dieter runge, 2017/18.”

     The Lizard Goddess painting comes from a deep personal and traumatic experience. You can read about the inspiration and genesis of this painting here.

“If not Zen Now, Then When?” oil on canvas, 42″ x 60″, dieter runge, 2017/18

     The “If Not Zen Now…” painting is part of my ongoing series of water surface paintings.

      Since January 1991 I have studied taiji with Master Dong Zeng-chen. For his 70’s birthday I produced this woodcut, showing him in the move called “The Snake Creeps Down.” In the background is Oahu’s Olomana mountain.

“Grandmaster”, woodcut, 12″ x12″, edition of 20, dieter runge, 2018

 For the 90th Annual Honolulu Printmakers Exhibition at the Honolulu Museum Art School I was invited to produce an installation. I printed ca 100 hearts of different sized and colors and called  it “Groove is in the Heart.” They move and create shadows. In the middle of the installation is a plastic bucked wrapped in gold fabric, inviting the viewer to sit and experience the vibration of love.

“Groove is in the Heart”, ca 4’x4’x10′, woodcut, 100 hearts in three sizes, fishing line, plastic bucket, gold fabric

     Olena (turmeric) is as aesthetically pleasing as it is healing. The plant rises to about 4-6 feet, has a beautiful large white and yellow flower and the buried rhizomes are used for cooking, juices, tea, etc and has anti inflammatory and anti bacterial properties among others, and produces a brilliant yellow/orange color used as dye. In the prints below Na’ilima M Ahuna and I celebrate the Olena we harvested in the garden. One of the two prints was accepted into the juried Honolulu Printmaker’s exhibition and both prints are at Cedar Street and Sunshine Art Galleries.

Celebrating Olena (W).”, woodcut, 10 1/2″ x 15″ 1/2, edition of 20, dieter runge, 2018

Celebrating Olena (K).”, woodcut, 10 1/2″ x 15″ 1/2, edition of 20, dieter runge, 2018

     Responding to a personal tragedy I recorded a new song “The Sensuous Immortals” – “Happy When The Winter Comes.” Most lyrics appeared to me during my morning meditation in successive days. It was released on a CD called “From Brooklyn With Love, Winter.” on Penny For the Guy Records. You can hear it on Soundcloud. Thank you Fran Powers from Penny For the Guy Records.

“From Brooklyn With Love, Winter”, CD, Japan, released 12/31/2017, Penny for the Guy Records

      A 5 minute video about me was shown on the local community channel and can be seen on Vimeo. I do taiji, talk about life and art and you get an impression of my house. and studio. Generations, TV show

Still from “Generations” video

List of art pieces and links for more information. The prizes for prints are all for unframed prints. Free shipping within the US. You can pay via pay pal to my e-mail: dieter.runge.808@gmail.com   There is more art available of course. You can cruise the site. This page talks more about multiples that are available.

$ 30 NYN Just like Dresden 45, 7″ vinyl re-issue

$ 50 selected artist proof prints

$ 80 set of ten inspirational handprinted cards

$ 100 “100 Views of Taiji, numbered and signed print

$ 200 “Grandmaster” taiji woodcut (see above)

$ 200 “Celebrating Olena” 1 Wahine 2 Kane (see above)

$ 200 “Hokulea at Sea” woodcut (see below)

$ 250 “Hokulea at Kuala” woodcut (see below)

$ 350 set of both “Celebrating Olena” prints

“The Hokulea at Sea” woodcut, 13″ X 14″, dieter runge, 2017

The Hokulea off Kualoa, woodcut, 15″x18″, dieter runge, 2017.

Fore more on my experience working and sailing on the Hokulea.

My ongoing experimentation with inspirational and rock’n roll fashion has been getting enthusiastic response and I am exploring this further. I am looking for partners, collaborators and investors. I hope to hear from you. Meanwhile I send you much love and Aloha, dieter