Marc Aschenbrenner

Figur mit zwei Oberkörper. 

2021, Tyvek, ink, sewed. 

Video description

How the figure comes into the world.

The works of Marc Aschenbrenner (1971*) are characterized by figures, that pass through various stages. These figures are sewn body-shells. Head, hands feet legs torso and arms are painted as a pattern on a sheet of fabric (Tyvek)*. The pattern has been assembled by the artist over the years, and he continues to vary it. The surface is painted with details such as eyes or muscles to abstract surfaces. The materials used are ink, or lacquer pencil and lacquer spray but also oil pastels.

The artist refers to the resulting image as the first state of the figure. Some figures remain in this state. Then the resulting pattern picture is cut out and sewn together.

The sewn figures are staged by actresses or by the artist himself in performative videos. The videos are short and often show simple actions as in "Figure1" dancing her name in Morse code. Sometimes the action simply breaks off and the video ends. Then this character suddenly reappears in another storyline. But mostly they seem isolated and do not leave their cosmos. Marc Aschenbrenner's figures have changed and show extremes in their appearance. So there is the figure with double torso, or the figure with hand feet, or the figure with long arms. The artist says it is the mental state of the figure that determines its appearance. The artist calls the resulting video the second state of the figure. The third and final state is the figure itself as a shell arranged into a picture. The watercolors of Marc Aschenbrenner are from the series Schleim-Wesen,
and show visions from the intensive care unit.

*(Tyvek is used as sterile packaging or to make disposable coveralls).

Video of the figure in action.