Anna Bittersohl

The structure of human perception and memory and their resulting effects play a fundamental role within my works. The order of events, moments and existences, their individual and social/ collective retention and conservation and the effects tied to their momentary truth and a possible future have become a key theme for me over the course of the last couple of years. The wish for reliability and the belief in scientific facts and durability are greedy ones. But what exactly does truth mean and how is it created? We preserve facts whenever we witness an event, be it alone or in a social group. We constantly try to prevent loss and to extend and optimize our archives. But what happens, if we look, let´s say at a simple vase, in retrospect. A vase that we have seen just some short moment ago and we want to convey its essence to others. We even took some photos and notes of aforesaid vase. We are able to generally describe it and highlight its essential characteristics, of course. But already a selective process has started at that very moment. What size was it exactly? Which details were important? The vase may still live up to its description, but since the focus was on the vase you may wonder in what surrounding it was standing or which other thoughts crossed your mind during your examination. Inevitably an inexorable process of transformation is starting. In this very moment it will become impossible for us to perceive the very same vase in the very same way as the person from back then. The truth of the moment lies in the past now. Irretrievable. I am fascinated by following this thought within my works. To understand my painting as an open memory of sorts. To let the colour adapt to the way the brain works. Therefor layers and erasures are influencing the process fundamentally. The basic approach to the implementation often surrenders to the essential thought. Not every archive works the same way. These themes refer to my personal archive of images as well as directly to the process of painting itself. In the end the picture is to decide about the truth of its own moment.

Collections:
Deutcher Bundestag Art Collection

SØR Rusche Sammlung Oelde/Berlin

Sammlung Deutsche Bundesbank