dolls

The works from 1976 form a cohesive group that combines the grotesque, the surreal, and socially critical irony. In “Grotesque Figure,” a larger-than-life figure appears, half carnival mask, half grimace, appearing both threatening and ridiculous. The painting “Not of This Time” shows doll-like figures floating in an unreal scene between stage and reality, raising questions of identity and pretense. The painting “Three Witches” works in a similar way, distorting archetypal role models into the grotesque and presenting the archaic power of such figures in an ironic refraction. Finally, in “Geschlechterkampf” (Battle of the Sexes), the encounter between male and female figures turns into an absurd choreography of masks, gestures, and poses. The painting “Im Kanal” (In the Canal) takes these themes to a new level: here, naked, deformed bodies, mechanical doll-like creatures, and a small dog appear in a stage-like setting that oscillates between an anatomy theater and a surreal dream space. Together, these works refer to the masked nature of society, to power games and role constraints that reveal themselves in exaggerated physicality and grotesque transformation.