GERD PAULICKE | Explores Meditative, Human-Centered Themes

Gerd Paulicke Explores Meditative, Human-Centered Themes
Text by Ana Bambić Kostov

Deeply immersed in the human condition, the work of German artist Gerd Paulicke examines both the most universal and the most personal matters. Tackling themes of transience, wisdom, knowledge, identity, and personal experience, he embarks on an artistic odyssey through the world of sculpture and installation. His work’s physical and psychological interplay creates tension, putting the observer, the human, at the center. Engaging and meditative, his works invite the viewer to ponder on his own life, limits, and environment.

Contemplative Self-Portraits

Expressed through sculpture and installation, supported by experimental photography and painting, Gerd Paulicke’s body of work is filled with reflective fragments tied to humanity in the broader sense. Yet, this universal subject is often shown through figurative self-portraits in which he uses himself as an archetype, referring to the closest point of human-centered contemplation for every man: the self. There is nothing narcissistic in these representations; on the contrary, the artist’s image is merely a neutral feature in the function of the work. The viewer is invited to consider the sensations the pieces emit, questioning his borders and limitations. The result is a highly inspiring physical and psychological artwork that communicates uninterruptedly.

Monochromatic World of Thought

Concentrated on the subject matter, Gerd Paulicke utilizes a monochrome palette of white and grey nuances. To create the feeling of movement, the artist resorts to optical illusions and often uses the same colors for the background and the figure, making them blend. Thus he removes the protagonist from the foreground, making him more challenging to detect, while optical elements, fine lines, and sharp and blurry details add to the experience.

Spiritual Matter

In recent years, Gerd Paulicke has explored the state of humanity through a series of religiously inspired works. Leaning on the subjects of crucifixion and memento mori, he investigates the forgetfulness and transience of existence. This temporality is emphasized in his self-portraiture, where his face is presented either highly pixelated or covered in crackling, deteriorating paint, alluding to the fragility of the soul.

Expressed through sculpture and installation, supported by experimental photography and painting, Gerd Paulicke’s body of work is filled with reflective fragments tied to humanity in the broader sense. Yet, this universal subject is often shown through figurative self-portraits in which he uses himself as an archetype, referring to the closest point of human-centered contemplation for every man: the self. There is nothing narcissistic in these representations; on the contrary, the artist’s image is merely a neutral feature in the function of the work. The viewer is invited to consider the sensations the pieces emit, questioning his borders and limitations. The result is a highly inspiring physical and psychological artwork that communicates uninterruptedly.
Gerd Paulicke’s work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions worldwide, including at the Vernissage Fondatione Silene Giannini Cevio Maggiatal – Artworks.Art in Switzerland and the House of Electronic Arts Basel / CH.
In recent years, you could also view his work at international art fairs, including at the Discovery Art Fair Cologne. In addition, his works of art were added to notable public and private collections, including at Gallery of Modernity – Abbey Klosterneuburg, Vienna, Regierungspräsidium Freiburg, Germany, and at the “QQTec” organization for “Art, Culture, Technology” in Germany.