HUMAN FREEDOM
My work deals with the search for freedom. I believe that the freedom of man is his epitome. Man was born in freedom. In his natural state, he was alone and free. Limited only by the satisfaction of the basic necessities of survival.
Later, society joined as his antipode. Man had to free himself from social constraints in the form of religious, state or professional dictates. Today the circumstances are much more diffuse. The freedom-loving human being is exposed to a multitude of adversaries. Companies, states, the latest information technologies.
It is as if man is striving for freedom with all his might, but as if this striving is robbing him of his very freedom by constantly creating new constructs that ultimately further restrict him.
My work explores this modern Sisyphus. In my two lines "Home" and "Inside" I contrast the freedom of nature and the (sought-after) freedom in nature with the imprisoned human being. Hanger for this were the restrictions of freedom at the beginning of the year 2020 within the Covid wave. This was a new type of restriction that forced people to give up their freedom to a considerable extent for the benefit of the general public.
I use almost exclusively oil pastels for my art. A very simple way of painting, which reminds of the free creations of children. Children are still direct, unconsumed and unconscious in their work, free from the knowledge of perspectives, techniques and other creative means. In style, I lean on models of German Expressionism, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Karl-Schmidt-Rottluff.
For the line "Inside" I chose strong red, yellow and blue tones, which show the suffering of a person who is suddenly occupied with nothing but himself. He literally burns in his imposed loneliness. The motifs are often composed of several levels, which were created by mirror elves. The human being as a questioner and observer of himself.
The series "Home" is characterized by soft tones. Light blue and ochre tones dominate in the representation of my home in the Allgäu. The painting stroke is characterized by interruptions, it only trembles freely over the ground, leaving open spaces for the painting and thus creating space and freedom. These paintings are mostly limited by a frame, which could be a hint of a window. Perhaps a window through which a person looks into his freedom.
JOS
EPH