People who paint pictures are usually quiet while they work. They speak only in exceptional cases, absorbed in their task and engaged in a deep inner dialogue with the image while also immersed in silence.
Some painters listen to music on their headphones or use good speakers. The music influences their emotions and, indirectly, their painting. This soundtrack, however, is no longer audible in the finished work. It is possible, of course, that the picture still carries traces of the emotional influence. If so, it stems from the painter’s inner state – their mood or emotional disposition – at the moment of painting. But otherwise, the picture remains silent. It offers no words, produces no sound, hangs flat against the wall, takes up almost no space, and does not push its way into our lives or impose itself upon us. On the one hand, this inherent modesty of painting is not particularly advantageous for building a career. But what happens when an artist embraces this modesty and discovers it as a source of conviction—or, more contemporarily, as a strategy? Can a silent image convey such a stance? Does it even matter, because the essence of modesty naturally leaves the idea of modestybehind?
And what about viewers? What do they see, what do they feel? Does it matter for the image, or for the artist?
In this workshop, we will joyfully explore this peculiar yet everyday question of the silent image, both in thought and in practice.
The course is aimed at people who want to explore their painting practice and deepen the quality of their painting. The focus is on one’s own artistic activity – painting as a contemplative, concentrated process. Participants receive individual support, but we also talk about the works as a group. Through discussions of the pictures, we will examine how inner attitude, perception and feeling are transferred by the visible image. We will work individually on our own image ideas, using subjects we have brought with us or that we develop during the course. Various painting approaches can be used – from representational to abstract, from colour-intensive to restrained.
The workshop offers space for artistic tranquillity, exchange, and conscious perception. It is aimed at anyone who would like to experiment with painting, regardless of their level of experience.
The first two days of our summer academy will include a colour workshop. In these exercises, we will try out several limited palettes to deepen our understanding of mixing and colour relations and develop a common vocabulary for talking about colour that we will use in our later discussions and group critiques. This workshop is great for all levels and will help us get to know one another.
We will also offer daily, short silent meditation on our creative heart after lunch: “Close your eyes and see” (Heartfulness).
key data
- Venue
- Festung Hohensalzburg
- Date
- 3. – 15. 8. 26
- Teaching language
- English (German and Italian possible)
- Participation fee
- 670 Euro (reduced 495 Euro)
- Requirements
- None
- What to bring
- The course consists of three sessions that are two hours each in which we will paint from a model. We will be using water-soluble oil paints. They can be thinned with water or used with normal gel or solvent-free oil mediums. We will provide the paints, but please bring your own medium (remember, solvent-free or water), brushes, and something to paint on (thick paper or canvases) for the four exercises. In our experience, A4 is a good size for each two-hour session, but you are welcome to bring larger or smaller sized painting surfaces if that's what you are most familiar with.
- Maximum number of participants
- 20
Christian Macketanz
Born in Eutin in 1963, the artist Christian Macketanz studied under Maria Lassnig in Vienna, lived and worked in Rome and Berlin and has been teaching at the Dresden University of Fine Arts since 2010.
“With painterly refinement and a multitude of interwoven motifs borrowed from art history, the artist lures us into the interior of his paintings and exposes us to the shock of life's big and small paradoxes with the seductive power of a poetic enigma...”
Karin Thomas, Christian Macketanz, DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag, Cologne 2003.
“With his working method, Christian Macketanz indirectly addresses the power of the image and of painting: to make the conceived and the inexpressible tangible, to suggest, to point the way without forming dogmas and accepting that the viewer does not see the same image as that which the artist has painted. He himself speaks of “abstraction of content” in his construction of a pictorial motif, which shows us that the path back to a 100% reconstruction of the intended pictorial content is wilfully closed, that it is much more about seeing “one's own picture”.
Johannes Schmidt, Behauptung, Kerber Verlag, 2012.
Exhibitions
Selected solo exhibitions
2025 Kick, Galerie Ines Schulz, Dresden (DE).
Macketanz at Vila Löw-Beer, Brno (CZ).
2024 Bild im Bild, Galerie Schloss Wiespach, Hallein (AT).
2023 0-5 (10 Meter Kindheit), Oswaldz, Dresden (DE).
.story & stories, Stadtgalerie Lehen, Salzburg (AT).
2022 Janáčeck - Portraits, Janáčeck-Museum, Brno (CZ).
2019 Light in the Underground, Gallery 1. Patro, Prague.
.Camaïeu, Galerie Antonstadt, Dresden.
2018 Family Portrait, Paolo Maria Deanesi Gallery, Trento (IT).
.I’m Nobody, Who are You?, Oswaldz, Dresden.
2014 Herr Tutsch beim Zollamt, Galerie Wannieck, Brno (CZ).
2013 Amerika, Galerie m2a, Dresden.
.Inhalt, Koffer, Berlin.
2012 Behauptung, Städtische Galerie, Dresden.
2009 Das vertikale Labyrinth, Künstlerhaus Palais Thurn und Taxis, Bregenz (AT).
2008 Notte Lunga, Galleria Maniero, Rome.
2007 Die Eutiner Bilder, Ostholstein Museum, Eutin (DE).
Selected group exhibitions
2021 HierBetween mit Andreas Karner, Sehsaal, Vienna.
LNDSCP/New means for landscape, Paolo Maria Deanesi Gallery, Trento; Area 35 Art Gallery, Milan (IT); CRAG Chiono Reisovà Art Gallery, Turin (IT).
2020 autonarrativ with Sophie Thelen, Galerie Allerart, Bludenz (AT).
2018 Die 90er Jahre, MUSA, Vienna.
2017 Hom(m)e, Paolo Maria Deanesi-Gallery, Trento.
2016 Rabenmütter, LENTOS Kunstmuseum, Linz (AT).
2015 You knee them in the chin…, Spor Klübü, Berlin.
2014 Mensch werde wesentlich, Kunstverein Freunde aktueller Kunst, Zwickau (DE).
2010 Körper Codes, Museum der Moderne, Salzburg.
2006 ich hab ein Haus, ein Äffchen und ein Pferd… Werke aus der Sammlung für Kinder im Museum der Moderne – Salzburg, Rupertinum, Salzburg.
Wiebke Herrmann
born 1987 in Dresden
Education
2009 HfBK Dresden, study of fine arts, sculpture class of Wilhelm Mundt
from 2010 Painting class of Christian Macketanz
2016 Diploma
2016-18 Master student with Christian Macketanz
2023/24 Assistant professor in Christian Macketanz's class, Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
Exhibitions
Selected solo exhibitions
2024 Like a Prayer, Kirche Maria am Wasser, Dresden (DE).
2022 Folie à deux, Wiebke Herrmann & Dana Berg, Gallery Oswaldz Temporary, Dresden.
2020 Meine hundert besten Freunde, Wiebke Herrmann & Thomas Judisch, Galerie Raskolnikow, Dresden.
2020 Tabula Rosa, Stadtarchiv Dresden.
2018 Flügge, Kunstraum Braugasse, Hoyerswerda (DE).
2016 Die Leiden der jungen W., Kunstraum Neuer Sächsischer Kunstverein, Dresden.
Selected group exhibitions
2024 Just tell me a story, Migrant Bird Space Gallery, Berlin.
2024 Finding Narratives, Chapter III+IV, Kunstverein Meißen (DE).
2023 Internationale Triennale: 3-Häuser-Kunstpfade, Eifel (DE).
2022 Neuzugänge zeitgenössischer Kunst im Kunstfonds 2020/21, Landesvertretung des Freistaates Sachsen beim Bund, Berlin.
2022 11 Jahre SALZ-Verlag – und weiter als wär‘ nichts gewesen, Neue Sächsische Galerie, Chemnitz (DE).
2021 WIN/WIN, Halle 14 für zeitgenössische Kunst, Spinnerei, Leipzig (DE).
2021 Existenz, Chapter II: Spuren, Oktogon, Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Dresden.
2020 Ortgespräche mit Weltempfänger, Isa Genzken – Wiebke Herrmann – Svea Duve – André Tempel – Antje Guske – Silvio Zesch in Zusammenarbeit mit den Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden und der Sammlung Hoffmann, Kunstverein Meißen.
2020 salondergegenwart X, Alter Wall 20-22, Hamburg
2019 Deep Surface, a room that, Baumwollspinnerei Halle 14, Leipzig.
2019 Ich wohne in der Möglichkeit, Masterclass of Christian Macketanz, sehsaal, Wien
