Aurel K. Basedow

Aurel K. Basedow

With his distinctive style and innovative techniques Aurel K. Basedow stands as one of the foremost contemporary painters of our time. His enigmatic mixed-media paintings transcend mere observation, demanding active engagement and emotional connection from the viewer.

Born in Munich in 1963, Basedow pursued a degree in Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera before co-founding a successful multidisciplinary design studio with his wife. Despite his accomplishments in the design field, Basedow felt a strong desire to return to his first love, painting, in 2015. Since then, he has been devoted to his painting practice, continuing to develop and refine his distinctive style, fortified by the skills that he has acquired over the past 30 years: carpentry, crafts, dyeing, and design, and characterized by the use of mixed media and resin.

Basedow most closely shares a kinship with 20th century painters like Mark Rothko, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, and Hermann Nitsch, whose paintings convey emotion and energy through physical and conceptual expression rather than realistic depiction or predetermined outcomes. While visually maintaining a balance of chaos and control, his works become a conversation between the rigid technical handling of his chosen media and the gestural possibilities of chromatic layering. Tenacity and improvisation are the two fundamental aspects driving his creative output.

His artistic style is characterized by the use of mixed media superimpositions rendered impenetrable within a shell of hand-poured resin, the most crucial material in his oeuvre. Employing various mediums such as enamel, pastel, dyes, stains, and spray paint, the artist creates a vigorous composition of geometric lines and expressive brush strokes, with each gesture building on the previous one, separated by layers of clear resin. The use of multiple pigments and pouring techniques can create a fluid, dynamic appearance, with the colors mixing and blending together in unpredictable ways. Basedow leaves the edges of his paintings unrefined, revealing a visual history of each layered application.

The use of resin also allows Basedow to incorporate unusual objects and textures, adding depth and complexity to his work. By concealing certain elements within the layers of resin, Basedow creates a sense of mystery, encouraging viewers to engage with the work more deeply. This can create a sense of storytelling within the artwork, enhancing its emotional and immersive power.

The reflective surface of the resin produces depth and translucency, which responds to and reflects the surrounding environment, making the artwork dynamic and transmutable depending on various factors such as light, place, and time. Basedow has forged an inescapable relationship between the spectator and the artwork, demanding an emotional and visceral engagement rather than passive observation from a distance.

 

Collection

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