Stefan à Wengen: the mission

Since the mid-1990s this Swiss painter has used fairly large groups of works to treat questions relating to the cultural codes. In them the 'alien' or 'alienating' is again and again the starting point for his pictorial ideas. The uncanny which has a long tradition in the history of painting forms the real core of his painting. Both the medium of film and reportage photography offer him formal starting points and influence his atmospherically charged paintings. In addition the venerable portrait genre, albeit always full of confusing factors, plays an important role in Wengen's work. The oppressive Ghost portraits, but the animal portraits too, should be understood as icons of the evil, dangerous and uncanny. Stefan á Wengen is inspired by the western iconic tradition, seeks references to other cultures, and creates highly symbolic painting of a new, individual reality. English and German text.