Jonas Burgert (B. 1969)

'I have thought about how I can best capture the peculiarity of our time on canvas. How can I integrate in my paintings the cynical and artificial elements that I feel characterize our time? I found the wonderful idea of doing this via colour, in an abstract manner. I proceed as follows: on the canvas I develop a completely classical theme and composition that can be quiescent at times, then change the proportions at my will and finally try to exhaust the colours by drawing them out until they almost become toxic, poisonous. Some of these colour contrasts are so extreme that the process of viewing them can be rather unpleasant for the observer. But I love that! Colours are vitally important to me, they are quite fantastic!' JONAS BURGERT