"At first glance my pictures may appear figurative. But only if you look at them from a certain distance. If you stand right in front of them, you will probably lose yourself in almost abstract spots and surfaces. The respective motif is only revealed as a whole.
I knew very early that I wanted to be an artist. I passed the admission exam at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna even before I finished school. I studied conceptual art with Johanna Kandl and Matteo Thun, then I moved to New York and studied “Design for Social Innovation” with Stefan Sagmeister and Jerry Saltz at the SVA.
It was a fairly stark contrast to return from New York to Obergurgl. It was here that I gave birth to my son and started working as a freelance artist. Since then I have seen the valley with different eyes. I simply enjoy life in the course of the seasons - and the people who live their down-to-earth attitude.
But I also see that we are facing a change of paradigm. We have to understand and secure our cultural capital. I wish people in the valley could see themselves more as a single part of the big picture. That we all approach the problems that will occupy us in the future with a certain humility.
For example, I support a profound discussion about climate change. Coupled with a much greater focus on regional food and careful use of our resources and the unique nature. Together with my friends, I ask myself the questions about the value of growth: When is enough really enough?
