SPHERES | CONCEPT
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This series of faces painted on stainless steel spheres is inspired by a key work work of the Renaissance. Parmigianino, one of the main representatives of Italian Mannerism, painted his 'Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror' around 1524 (photo by Fabian Fröhlich and KHG Vienna). The small round and slightly curved wooden panel shows the artist sitting behind a table and is particularly famous for visualizing the spectacular distortion effects created by a convex mirror. Interestingly, Parmigianino's face shows no deformation, whereas his arm, the window and the ceiling of the room behind appear distorted in an exaggerated way. |
I tranform and expand Parmigianino's idea and artistic realization by merging painting with real life.
In my sphere series the face appears - now strongly distorted - on one half of a stainless steel sphere. The other half remains unpainted and the mirror polished surface functions as a powerful distorting mirror.
Parmigianino's painted the distortions of the space behind the sitter. In my work they become real and show up in the form of constantly changing reflections of the actual surroundings of the sphere and its viewer.
In my sphere series the face appears - now strongly distorted - on one half of a stainless steel sphere. The other half remains unpainted and the mirror polished surface functions as a powerful distorting mirror.
Parmigianino's painted the distortions of the space behind the sitter. In my work they become real and show up in the form of constantly changing reflections of the actual surroundings of the sphere and its viewer.
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Because the face is painted on a spherical image support, the painting itself expands from its traditional two-dimensional origins into the third dimension, resulting in an intriguing an in-between painting and sculpture.
This in turn has the consequence that the viewers gets several views of one and the same painting as soon as they walk around the sphere.
Another important aspect of this series is the viewer's ability to move the sphere to a position of their choosing. The sphere is not fixed, but rests on an almost invisible ring. It can thus be moved into any position - with surprising consequences. The expression of the face seems to change depending on how the sphere is turned.
This not only opens up new visual experiences for the viewer, but also gives him the opportunity to shape the effect of the artwork.
This in turn has the consequence that the viewers gets several views of one and the same painting as soon as they walk around the sphere.
Another important aspect of this series is the viewer's ability to move the sphere to a position of their choosing. The sphere is not fixed, but rests on an almost invisible ring. It can thus be moved into any position - with surprising consequences. The expression of the face seems to change depending on how the sphere is turned.
This not only opens up new visual experiences for the viewer, but also gives him the opportunity to shape the effect of the artwork.
sphere V 34, oil and lacquer on stainless steel sphere, 60 cm, 2016