[catharsis SYLLABICATION: ca thar sis
PRONUNCIATION: /k?-?thär-s?s/
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. ca thar ses (-sz) 1. Medicine Purgation, especially for the digestive
system. 2. A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear,
described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience. 3. A release of emotional
tension, as after an overwhelming experience, that restores or refreshes the spirit. 4.
Psychology a. A technique used to relieve tension and anxiety by bringing repressed
feelings and fears to consciousness. b. The therapeutic result of this process; abreaction.
ETYMOLOGY: New Latin, from Greek katharsis, from kathairein, to purge, from katharos,
pure.]
As an artist of deeply personal character, I have devoted my life to the pursuit of creative
influence and expression. Travelling extensively, I have sought out artistic references and impressions wherever I have found
myself. Painting with a furious intensity and dedication to my craft, I have enriched my natural instincts with the experience of
diverse cultures and styles. Having set up my studio in London, I make use of the international community at my doorstep and
my work continues to reflect a profound interest in the countless colours and flavours of the world. Nevertheless, a distinctly
'German approach', indicative of my origins and bordering on 'art brut' underpins everything I produce. Visceral, emotionally
charged artwork is my trademark. I always say it comes 'from the guts', although I feel that I have certainly benefited from training
and instruction. As a result, I attempt to make the work transcend the merely emotional and become intelligently conceptual.
My pieces are fundamentally abstract in thought, which could manifest in figurative work, but also in a more constructed style.
Strong, haunting symbols appear both clearly and subtly throughout my collections and the use of mixed media, which might
include photography and video as well as unconventional materials and objects, adds a unique textural quality to the work.
To look at what I produce is to glimpse into my mind. My fluctuating moods and feelings are on display in candid expression,
inviting you, 'to plunge into the redness beyond the dichotomous good/bad, black/white.'