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1951 Tragwein/Upper Austria – 2003 Vienna
- Title
- untitled (from the Madeira period)
- Time
- 1993
- signed
- verso: "Mairwöger 93"
- Technique
- oil on canvas
- Measurements
- 37 ¾ × 33 ½ in
In 1993, Gottfried Mairwöger spent several months on Madeira. The island, characterized by a mild, subtropical climate, is of volcanic origin. Rugged cliffs that drop down to the seabed for miles below the surface, multicolored layers of rock in shades of black, ochre and red, a central high mountain range with dense laurel forests and a sea of flowers on fertile volcanic soil – these numerous different microclimates with their variety of shapes and colors were a rich source of inspiration for the color field painter.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Mairwöger created not only paintings with glazed, heavily thinned applications of paint, but also pictures with stronger, sometimes impasto colors. Particularly in those works inspired by trips to Spain and Madeira, dark colors can also be found, which the artist chose “much more naturally” in the glistening light of these destinations than, for example, in wintry Vienna.
Gottfried Mairwöger’s painting is highly personal, a testimony to his very own experiences and individual subjective view of the world – but this also makes it deeply human and appeals to the viewer on an emotional level. With a multi-layered composition of skillfully combined colors and brushstrokes, Gottfried Mairwöger transfers his memories of the lush volcanic island into a powerful work full of exciting contrasts and immense intensity.