Page 95 - ART NOW Internationally Recognized Artists

The beauty of the world is a whirl of colors,” above-mentioned picture titles and meanings:
says the poet – and a look at the paintings they are apostrophized as “overpaintings.”
of Jochen Schambeck proves him right: “Overpainting” may seem irritating at first,
hyacinth blue meets orchid violet, embraced but it is associated with – if not cancellation or
by camellia red, which in turn embraces a removal – at least correction or improvement.
deep fir green, flowing slowly into lemon But why would the artist want to paint over
yellow. It welcomes the trickling coral orange, these powerful paintings of his? This question,
befriends the neighboring maroon, seeks a of course, does not arise at all: the picture will
touch of ebony black and a dab of granite not be further worked on or reworked because
gray, all against a background of lily white. it is “unfinished” or not fully successful. The
A second look reveals much more: What opposite is the case: Precisely because it is
originally appeared “just” like a flower harmonious, it lives through its color energy,
garden, or more generally like a section of which determines the rhythm of its future
the infinite diversity of the plant world, grows life. The painter follows this path, which is
and thrives - the blue ascends into the sky, based less on an intention than on an inner
the sunset glows red and orange, green flows necessity. He cultivates the color that takes
into the sea, reflecting the yellow ball of the root on the canvas and at the same time
sun; on the lava-black sand of the volcanic rebels against the image format and its
island, cloudy thunderstorm gray meets limitations: the picture, or a picture, may be
foamy white spray. “finished” – the color never is. It commands
The painter releases the colors: they become its own continued life and determines the
fields of force, create atmospheres, and brilliant color landscapes, direction, detours, and returns, branches, as well as the speed and
allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the depths of the ocean duration of the process.
of color and climb to the highest peaks of the mountains of color. Jochen Schambeck lets the color go – and the circle closes with the last
One almost seems to feel moods, sensitivities, and thinks of the Latin picture title: “Dedication.” The meaning is also to be understood in the
“vernare” – to be or become green, to renew and rejuvenate in spring: sense of surrendering to an obligation, or as a “leave it to yourself” for
a state, a way of life. Color “tones” evolve towards literalness, towards its own destiny. The painter surrenders to the impulse of the color and
synchromy. the heartbeat of the work of art, is in constant transformation with it, and
With his picture titles, the painter completes what he explains to us and allows the viewer to accompany him if they wish. The painting, artist, and
lays out in front of us: the works are referred to as “Lay Out”; “Splash viewer interact with each other and with the space surrounding them -
Out” stands for a gushing out, an overflowing, also in a figurative sense they influence each other. By allowing the autonomy and independent
– overflowing with energy, which is poured out, flows out of its own laws of his colors to apply and exist, by respecting their signs of life
accord, and reshapes and redesigns the color landscape: “Pour Out,” and letting them do their own thing, Schambeck brings their essential
announces the artist. vitality principle to fruition in his work: color, the “chromatic miracle,”
For the viewer, undoubtedly carried away and overwhelmed by the symbolizes nothing less than vibrant life – quod erat demonstrandum.
vehemence and force of the color, it is worth remembering at this Brigitte Herpich
point the general term under which Schambeck subsumes all of the (Text from catalog: Jochen Schambeck – overpaintings, 2024)
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