ARTiculAction
Gisela Hammer (Germany) an artist’s statement
Since my childhood the paintings of Vincent van Gogh are fascinating me, especially his very expressive self- portraits. Grown up near Munich, I soon followed the colorful images of the Expressionists. Especially Alexei Jawlensky with his early portraits. It was no coincidence that I was working for many years in the creative advertising and marketing business. Since 1996 Fine Arts is the center of my creative work. In an intensive process of external and self-educated study, in close contact with several artists and as founding member of the group "theART -IST six" I developed my work continuously. Colors attract me like a magnet; all clear tones - red, blue, yellow - intuitive set with wide brushes and mostly heavy duct, probably in subliminal inspiration of the expressionist painters. With great emotion, the picture developed intuitive in process. Layer by layer built, seen, rejected, destroyed and redeveloped. This process continues until to the decision: The picture is finished. A central theme of my artwork – since years – is Africa. Since my first trips this continent is fascinating me with his experiences. I am deeply impressed by the people and their aesthetic appeal, which I found in the natural dignity of their attitude, in their interaction, in the colors of clothing and of course in their faces. I am captivated by the serenity and warmth of its people, but also of their daily recurring struggle for survival. All this inspired me so intensely that I have to express my feelings with a diverse and colorful range of characters and moods. Especially my portrait images are reflecting primal joy but also deep thoughtfulness painted in various techniques and sizes. I want to express the different physiognomies in their whole individuality. But more importantly for me is to capture the mood and to create painted snapshots - without folklore and "ethno-kitsch", but always with respect and distance. I work in Germany and Mallorca/Spain. My paintings have been shown in the past 15 years in Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Spain and France.
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