About the work
In diagonal widths of colour that in some cases leave the quick brushstroke recognisable, Siegward Sprotte creates one of his characteristic landscape representations of the northern marsh landscape. While the lower section of the painting is defined by various, mainly bright shades of grey, the water landscape is linked in a uniformly radiant blue. A diagonally arranged, meandering black line compositionally links the green area above the water with the also dark horizon and takes the gaze with it into the depths of the landscape.
Sprotte’s workplace was nature. He defied sun, wind and cold to learn its lessons. Here he also began to concentrate on the essential, on the structure and on the atmosphere of that seen.
The rhythmic design of his works has no peers. Sprotte does not represent pleasant sceneries, but instead provides insights into the fundamental structure of nature in his paintings. He expanded his consciousness through much travel, but also through the study of Far Eastern readings, such as the writings of Laozi. The artist was interested in recognising and exploring natural energies and then recording them in his works. Sprotte thus entered into a dialogue with the elements – with sun, air, water, sand and grass landscapes – in order to apprehend their innermost secrets and to also always recognise a piece of himself in the process.
Text authored and provided by Dr Andrea Fink, art historian
The art historian, curator and freelance publicist Andrea Fink studied art history, cultural studies and humanities, modern history and philosophy in Bochum and Vienna. Doctorate in 2007 on the work of the Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay. As a freelance curator and art consultant, her clients include, among others, the Kunstverein (art association) Ahlen, Kunstverein Soest, Wella Museum, Museum am Ostwall Dortmund, ThyssenKrupp AG, Kulturstiftung Ruhr, Osthaus Museum Hagen, Franz Haniel GmbH, Kunsthalle Krems, Austria.
