Inspired by Jakob von Hoddis’ poem “Weltende”, which was published in 1911 at the beginning of Expressionism, this oil painting was created with a Dadaist, collage-like touch:
“A gust blows off the burgher’s little hat,
The wind is screaming wildly through the sky.
Roofers lose their footing—just like that—
And on the coasts, they say, the flood runs high.
The storm has hit, the ocean leaps and smashes,
It crushes walls and crashes through the land.
Most people just have colds and blow their noses.
The trains are falling from the bridges.”
English translation of “Weltende” by Jakob van Hoddis (1911).
At that time, the empire was crumbling, keywords: fear of the future, fear of technology, fear of Halley’s comet, uncertain political times that led to the First World War in 1914-18.
There is currently a great fear of change, people are clinging to “it’s always been like this”. They are politically drifting to the right, from where these ideas are fed along with prejudice and hatred towards “the others” or “those at the top”. This negates the climate catastrophe, because then people would have to do something, change their lives, work together instead of against each other and not just focus on their own short-term well-being/money. Wars, famines, climate catastrophe, the global problems that affect the whole planet are ignored. What will this lead to?
2025, oil on canvas, plaster bandages, old plastic bottle, 70 x 50 cm