Waldgang im Unterholz
| Edition | Original Art |
|---|---|
| Sujet | Mythology and Symbolism |
| Technique | Painting – Acrylic on Canvas |
| Height | 160 cm |
| Width | 150 cm |
| Length/Depth | 5 cm |
150 x 160 cm
2021–2025
Acrylic on canvas
This painting depicts a small, withered tree standing in the undergrowth of a forest. Its trunk is covered in hanging moss; its branches appear brittle and sparse, almost lost amongst the surrounding vegetation. The subject is not derived from an idealised notion of nature, but from a concrete observation: the artist came across this tree during years of walks in the woods near his studio. Over time, these walks became more deliberate, leading deeper into the undergrowth and evolving into a source of continuous perception and inspiration.
The painting emerges from a process-oriented approach to colour. Highly diluted pigments are applied to the canvas in several layers and are allowed to flow under the influence of gravity. The paint runs, pools, thickens and dries in vertical streaks. This technique does not produce a smooth surface, but rather a network of traces, deposits and openings that evokes natural processes: rain, seepage, and the slow covering of surfaces by moss and the passage of time.
The tree itself is not depicted in a drawn form, but emerges from the painting. Its form is created through the layering of light, earthy and green tones, which become denser as they rise from the lower edge of the picture. Whitish and pale grey shades make the trunk appear porous, whilst layers of green and brown suggest the damp forest floor. The lines of paint running down the surface take up the motif of the moss and translate it into a painterly movement.
In terms of content, the work belongs to a tradition of encountering nature that focuses less on representation than on experience. The forest appears here not as an idyllic landscape, but as a place of transition, of becoming and passing away. The small, withered tree is not a heroic motif, but a casual, almost overlooked detail – and it is precisely this that gives it a special presence. It becomes the vessel of a quiet attentiveness, such as the Romantics also sought: not in the sublime, but in the seemingly inconspicuous.
In this way, the painting combines representational observation with an open painterly process. The technique follows the same principles as the motif itself: flowing, settling, dissolving. Painting and nature enter into a quiet resonance with one another. The work invites the viewer to look more slowly – and to engage with those unspectacular moments in which perception, memory and material find a shared form.
Konstantin Lischkoff-Knecht
Mr Knecht studied Fine Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich from 2012 to 2020, under Günther Förg and Jorinde Voigt.
Knecht also took part in Anne Imhof’s project class and engaged in lively exchanges with various lecturers and students at the Academy.
Artist Statement
My artistic journey is deeply rooted in Abstract Expressionism, a style characterised by spontaneous, emotional and unbridled forms of expression. The works of pioneers such as Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning, as well as artists like Cy Twombly and Georg Baselitz, have significantly shaped my understanding and appreciation of the raw, immediate power of colour and form.
In my paintings, I strive to explore the boundaries of visual language and to convey the emotions and thoughts that move me onto the canvas. Abstract Expressionism offers me the freedom to express myself beyond traditional forms and conventions. This style allows me to experiment with colours, textures and compositions to create a deep and often intuitive resonance.
For me, every canvas is a slaughtering block upon which I come to terms with inner conflicts, feelings and thoughts. The movement of the brush, the flow of paint and the bold gestures reflect the intensity and spontaneity that lie at the heart of my work. The factor of time plays a very intimate role in the creative process: For me, the flow of paint and the resulting emergence of the image represent the passing of the states of my inner life as they are immediately experienced. This process is ultimately concealed from the viewer – the viewer is presented only with the outcome of my process. Through this unfiltered form of artistic expression, I strive to draw viewers into a world of emotion that is as subjective and multi-layered as human experience itself.
Abstract Expressionism has provided me not only with a stylistic framework, but also with a philosophical foundation. It reminds me that art should not merely be viewed, but experienced – it should create a direct and often personal connection between the work and the viewer.
Exhibitions (selection):
2015 Polish Institute Platan / Latarka Gallery (Budapest)
2015 Salon Kennedy (Frankfurt)
2015 Kunstverein Wiesbaden (Wiesbaden)
2016 Catholic Academy Munich (Munich)
2017 Lothringer 13 (Munich)
2017 Art Homes (Munich)
2018 Kunstarkaden (Munich)
2018 Haus 10 (Fürstenfeldbruck)
2023 Kunstarkaden (Munich)
2024 Kunstpavillon (Munich)
