Artist Statement

Our entire world is structured in a way that makes it increasingly difficult to pay attention to our surroundings. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, I learned to slow down and observe more consciously what was around me.

In this period of reduced stimulation, I became increasingly aware of the beauty hidden in everyday life. The ability to find contentment in the ordinary, while living in a society shaped by constant achievement, growth and the pursuit of the exceptional, can become an important source of joy.

Through social media, we are continuously exposed to visual overstimulation. Increasingly intense imagery and short-lived stimuli dominate our attention, while quieter experiences often remain unnoticed. Through painting, I seek to restore value to these moments and encourage a more conscious way of seeing.

I grew up in Tyrol, Austria, surrounded by some of the most striking Alpine landscapes in Europe. Yet even these extraordinary mountains can become almost invisible through constant exposure. This phenomenon — the way in which the exceptional gradually becomes ordinary — lies at the core of my artistic practice.

Although my paintings are often associated with photorealism, technical accuracy is not the primary objective of my work. The decisive artistic act lies in the selection of the subject: the moment, object or sensation that deserves to be seen again.

By zooming in on ordinary things, they become estranged. Familiar objects are transformed into something almost unknown, much like a word that is repeated until it begins to sound unfamiliar. Through this intense focus, the familiar loses its obviousness. In this way, I transform ordinary things into something valuable.

I completely remove spatial context. What remains are objects or structures that gain autonomy. The consistent absence of context invites viewers to reflect and develop their own interpretations. A painted meat structure, for example, may immediately provoke political or ethical discussions, while other viewers may be fascinated primarily by the aesthetic qualities of the fibres, colours and textures.

Alongside representational works, I increasingly explore abstraction in order to translate emotional and sensory experiences into visual form. I aim to extend my work beyond visible reality towards the communication of feelings and atmospheres that cannot always be expressed through recognisable imagery.

Materiality plays an important role in my work. I primarily paint on wooden panels, mirrors and reclaimed glass, deliberately incorporating pre-existing materials whose traces of use and imperfections contribute to the character of each piece. These surfaces reinforce my ongoing interest in overlooked value and in the rediscovery of what already exists.

My work has been exhibited in Austria, Italy and Switzerland, including presentations at Galleria d’Arte Merighi and Galerie Cimaise. I was nominated for the Schiele Art Award in 2024 and 2026 and received First Prize in 2026.