Sarah Alexander

It seems as though the colour on the surface of the picture were flowing from the top to the bottom just at the moment, it seems as though it were expanding across the space, as though a veil consisting of colourful softness were being spread across the picture. We are able to discover colours under the escaping shape whose flow is covered by the flowing process of the upper layer. Thus, it is somehow being reified. Colour has flown and another...

It seems as though the colour on the surface of the picture were flowing from the top to the bottom just at the moment, it seems as though it were expanding across the space, as though a veil consisting of colourful softness were being spread across the picture. We are able to discover colours under the escaping shape whose flow is covered by the flowing process of the upper layer. Thus, it is somehow being reified. Colour has flown and another flow of colours lays across it in absolute tranquility and without any symbolic gesture. This silent flow is happening while being watched and it is nothing else but an illusion as the colours do not flow, they are dry, movement is within the space just like a passing person in a photograph who seems to be passing. However, he/she will always remain in this very position shown in the photograph.

The inner life of painting is light. This is a metaphore which is to describe something being hard to conceive-–the effect of brightness shining from this painting. From a physical point of view, this is nonsense, of course, as the picture requires penetrating light to make us see the things we see. Depending on colour and layers of colour, parts of light are absorbed, others are reflected. The layers of colour function just like layers consisting of foils. Only thus is the illusion of our seeing light without its being painted enabled. The spaces forming the colour layers are not measurable and cannot be followed step by step since it is a light without a shadow.

The painted theme is the reality of the picture shown by Sarah Alexander–the colour is the reality of the picture. It is about the appearance of light, the flowing process. Light and flowing energy appear in the picture without illustrating anything, without being laid claim to by anything beyond this painting.

I focused on these two effective factors on purpose–the flowing process and the light for both of them are terms traditionally belonging to a different understanding of the world. The first refers to the concept of everything being in a flow, the second refers to the metaphysical distance of enlightenment and apotheosis. I am a sceptic as far as such great narrations are concerned. They require myths–a plot perceived as a truth telling us something about the real sense of the world and of life. They are illustrated by art, interpreted in a contemporary sense in the most favourable case. The Modern Age has placed itself outside mythological obsession and has looked for and found its very proper middle by means of artistic work. So has Sarah Alexander.

It is indeed difficult enough to clearly know what is actually to be seen and if I do want to know what is to be seen, I approach the picture, I approach it as closely as possible so that I, that is the way I put it, can realise what I do want to realise. I am fascinated by this light that does not cast any shadow, I am fascinated by the fact as well that the artist succeeds in making this light appear.


Dr. Manfred Kästner
Translation: Andreas Renz