Lot 622 Dα

At the end of the 1950s, Otto Piene developed a completely new painting technique with his smoke drawings and pictures which were shortly followed by the fire pictures. To produce the smoke drawings and pictures he guided the smoke from a candle or a petroleum lamp through grid sieves to create smoke dots and veils on the picture plane. The fire pictures resulted from setting fire to solvents, oil paints or colour pigments on the picture plane, leading to organic shapes formed by the remnants, bubbles and crusts.

In both instances, Piene reduced his artistic influence in favour of the autonomous development of the picture through the use of flame and smoke. He commented himself on the character of the development processes: ''The smoke signals are not ''signed''. The anonymity of the author remains to a large extent protected. My individual sentiments are not pushed to the foreground and play a minor role (except for increased alertness, ie. sensitivity). I think that the artistic engagement, precisely because of the distance to ones own actions, is at least as large as with drawing in the usual sense. Above all it lies in the observation, the ''strategy'', which steers the tools. I would like to take more of a back seat, to allow my individuality as author to be felt even less, a force such as light to become increasingly superior, so that the materiality is further raised and greater freedom is won. I hope, that with a minimum of physical engagement, far removed from every drama, to reach a space of silence, which, because it is powerful recognisable, invites one to linger.