“There are things which move me in my innermost self… My subjective perspective is important for me because it often comes closer to the truth.”
Exploring the Enigmatic Realm
Bernd Steinert navigates the delicate balance between the abstract and figurative, his work steeped in enigmatic themes and concealed messages. From Steinert’s vantage point, the term ‘artist’ can often impose limitations, obscuring the fluid nature of creative expression. The impetus behind his work originates from profound emotions, elements that resonate deeply within his being. The spotlight isn’t necessarily focused on vast historical narratives or political discourse, but rather his distinctive perception.
Steinert embraces visual exploration of themes in a manner that conveys an intended message, albeit one that may not be instantaneously discernible. The intrigue of the obscured unfurls its beauty in his artistic realm.
Navigating the complexities of today’s world, Steinert acknowledges the arduous journey artists, particularly those with familial responsibilities, undertake. This path, while daunting, wields a formidable power—the ability to move observers through creative expression. This influential power, Steinert contends, necessitates prudent use to avoid an overbearing or moralizing tone.
Steinert’s journey into the art world has been anything but conventional. Prior to unearthing his talent for visual storytelling, he treaded the path more traditionally associated with stability and respectability, choosing the noble profession of teaching. His artistic odyssey took a transformative turn when he pursued studies at the esteemed art academy Burg Giebichenstein in Halle, from 1998 to 2002. This pivotal period altered the course of his life, allowing experiences from both the educational and artistic spheres to enhance one another, providing him the agility to adeptly adjust his focus as circumstances dictate.
Bernd Steinert: The Evolution of Artistic Expression
Throughout his artistic journey, Bernd Steinert’s creative process has witnessed a remarkable evolution. In his earlier stages, Steinert maintained a focused approach, dedicating an entire year to exploring a singular theme. However, the contemporary structure of his work often exhibits overlapping themes. Steinert demonstrates a penchant for re-engaging with completed cycles, imbuing his portfolio with a dualistic quality—some of his artworks exhibit a pronounced abstraction, while others veer towards more distinct figurative elements. This intriguing juxtaposition of abstract and figurative elements not only delineates Steinert’s artistic breadth, but also occasionally challenges interpretive clarity.
The artworks that most distinctly mirror Steinert’s personality are typically those upon which he is presently engaged. These pieces require a maximum input of his creative energy and invite a profound journey of self-exploration. However, the artist ensures to leave behind an element of enigma, routinely incorporating concealed messages and intricate puzzles within the body of his work.
Art, in Steinert’s view, holds the potential to pivot perspectives, given the viewer’s receptiveness. It gratifies him to observe viewers engaging in dialogue with his artworks. For Steinert, art should not impose overarching truths onto its audience. Rather, he holds a conviction that viewers possess the wisdom to discern what truly resonates with them, affirming the individual’s agency in interpreting art.
Embracing Tangibility in a Digital Age
In considering Bernd Steinert’s perspective towards new technology and social media, they are perceived as elements of both boon and bane. Such platforms have undeniably ushered in a renaissance in art, particularly resonating with the younger cohort whose innovative usage captivates him. Notwithstanding, the validity of these digital creations as ‘art’ remains a subject of intense debate. Steinert stands steadfast in his artistic vision, prioritizing the tangibility inherent in his work — an aspect often diminished in the digital medium.
The creations of Steinert elegantly straddle the realms of the abstract and the figurative, each piece imbued with a rich, nuanced narrative. A prime example is “Wie es leuchtet,” (How It Glows), a captivating amalgamation of unconventional hues and shapes oscillating between abstract and tangible realms. In this masterwork, Steinert embeds and overlays paper shapes, utilizing a refined layering method that insinuates the passage of time.
This gifted artist relishes in harmonizing a myriad of elements such as oil paint, paper collage, asphalt-varnish, and charcoal strokes, forging depth and texture in his pieces. The resultant layers not only grant a tactile quality to his work but also stitch together an intricate tale that reveals itself under meticulous scrutiny.
Steinert’s body of work reflects two parallel directions: primarily abstract paintings and portraits infused with both abstract and figurative elements. A calligraphic flourish often characterizes his drawings, with his fascination for printed characters culminating in cryptic inscriptions or rhythmic patterns.
In a bid to invoke authenticity and evoke a sense of temporality, Steinert seamlessly weaves found objects such as aged photographs, shapes, correspondences, and fragments of parchment into his artistry. He deliberately maintains an enigmatic narrative in his work, harboring reservations towards oversimplified or imposed interpretations of truth. Instead, Steinert advocates for a more subjective approach in artistic perception and appreciation.
Bernd Steinert: The Dance Between Complexity and Contradiction
In the artwork “Wie es leuchtet,” myriad interpretations emerge, among which a discerning viewer might perceive a commentary on the fall of the Berlin Wall. However, Bernd Steinert urges a cautious approach towards assigning specific interpretations, emphasizing his belief in the ‘uncertainty of uncertainty.’
Steinert’s oeuvre is characterized by a tenacious refusal to conform to harmonious, aesthetically pleasing forms. Instead, he deliberately disrupts such elements, finding solace in the tensions that dance on the lines between drawing and painting, figuration and non-figuration, perception and interpretation. His work defiantly resists straightforward categorization or understanding. Steinert’s art underscores the inherent struggle to reconcile complexity and contradiction, thus nurturing a dynamic, evolving dialogue between form and content.
Interaction with art collectors has been somewhat scant thus far in Steinert’s journey, with only a select few taking significant notice of his work. Nevertheless, the artist places his own critical assessment above all, esteeming his subjective evaluation as the pinnacle of importance. For Steinert, true success is epitomized when a painting or project coalesces as he originally envisioned. The full value of his creations often becomes apparent to him only after a temporal distance, due to his profound immersion in the creative process.
In recent times, Steinert’s sensitivity has been deeply stirred by the swift environmental shifts in his local region. The once thriving forests, a magnet for numerous tourists, are slowly perishing, and the indifference of humanity towards this transition strikes a dissonant chord within him. In response, Steinert has embarked on a new series titled “Forest,” intended to encapsulate this transformation through the medium of paint. While the final objective of the series remains somewhat nebulous, several pieces are currently underway, bearing witness to the unyielding progress of environmental change.
