Gerhard Rasser

GERHARD RASSER

Since the beginning of the corona crisis the inner pictures, which have been expressed in my tabloid works for years, are in a strange way up-to-date and seem to reflect experiences we all make at this time.

Single, rather unimportant, small persons are walking towards an imaginary destination in deserted, not easy to register landscapes and on uncertain ground. On the one hand, this symbolizes the dominance of the cosmos and the human inferiority during their finite existence, on the other hand, it stands for the threat by nature which we maltreat and prey but which is able to strike back. This threat is perceptible, but not visible or tangible.

Nevertheless, these humans recognizable as silhouettes are on a search. Birds play a major role. They both stalk us from above and remind us of the absolute freedom which we will never achieve. The sun too has two meanings: sometimes it appears as a warming and hopeful element in this setting remembering us of our fugacity and then again it seems cold and distant, a bit like stuck. Trees as well are on the one hand a symbol of life, on the other one of fugacity, especially when they are pictured only with their torso, like a skeleton or with withered leaves.

For many years I have occupied myself with different techniques of art, including oil- aquarelle- and pastel- painting as well as graphic styles, Chinese ink painting, and calligraphy. I especially like one of the ideas from Chinese tradition: to understand emptiness as a room. The combination of different techniques is characteristic of my pictures. These mixed-media-arts are no classic collages, since the glue is only sometimes in use, though they pretend to be collages. Therefore what stays is the question of reality and appearance and that it is important to take a close look.

Once a friend of mine characterized my work as follows:  “Your  pictures always tell a story and hold a secret.” … and that’s my intention.