Tobel

Samuel Matzig

FROM 2017-04-06 TO 2017-05-04

The photographic work of Samuel Matzig evokes the idea of transformation, either by the natural action of the artist who interprets reality, either from elements and objects taken from a perspective of singularity and isolation. His work communicates the shape’s significance, as an intervention method in which he finds himself.

A unique perspective of plans that capture the contrast between movement and stillness, between change and stagnation, between the past that closes in the ancestral and the present that holds the eye of the artist.

In the series Tobel, which names this exhibition, the artist presents 16 artworks, the result of long walks he did during a period of 3 years in a deep ravine, that extends to the surroundings of the city of Mels, in Switzerland. A place absent of human presence, to which Matzig accessed regularly, in a way to connect himself with nature and to apprehend its strong character, imposing and primitive, appearing as a power entity, greater than man himself.

The metamorphosic essence that the artist can remove from this place’s atmosphere is a metaphor to the very human evolution, in a parallelism that combines formations, textures and organic compositions, that were photographed in a space that is inhabited by time and a particular awareness of rhythm and growth. A representation about the natural environment, and any being who dwells in it, as something constant and externally solid, however alive and in permanent consumption and fluctuation.

Tobel represents a refuge from the World, a meeting with a mysterious and calm environment. Here, the artist reflects and discovers a way to communicate the existence; what is embryonic, fundamental and incipient. The way to bring to the eyes those who observe his work the certainty that the origin comes from us, but it always ends in others and in what surrounds us.

VIEW TEXT

Throughout 3 years (2014-2016) the series Tobel, that entitles this exhibition, was developed by the artist Samuel Matzig who realized several walks during this period through a deep valley of a mountain stream that extends on the surroundings of his hometown, Mels, located in Switzerland.

On a reencounter with his past and with the places that marked his childhood, Matzig decided to return to this incision originally named Ein Tobel, to which he still held in his memory as a mysterious and hermetic space.

A space absent of human presence, that is associated to many local myths due to its metamorphosic character that transforms it “overnight”, according to the artist. His access was realized regularly, in different seasons, with the purpose of reconnecting Matzig to Nature and film its strong essence, imposing and primitive. This entity of power recognized as something “bigger than the man itself”, was caught by the artist in these fifteen presented images, being the 7 – “untitled” (2014) the image that communicates the exhibition, a photography that was taken in his firsts personal journeys.

The metamorphosic essence that the artist can withdraw from this place’s atmosphere is a metaphor to the human evolution itself, a parallelism that combines formations, textures and organic compositions photographed in medium format, in a space inhabit by time and a particular awareness of rhythm. An intimate representation of the natural environment, and of any being that lives on it, as something constant and extremely solid, however alive and in permanent consumption and instability.

His photographic work, taken mostly in analog support and in black and white tones, evokes the idea of transformation, either by the natural action of the artist on the reality that he interprets, either through elements and objects taken according to a perspective of singularity and isolation.

His work transmits the importance of the shape, as an interventive method in the environment in which it is found. A unique vision of plans that catches the contrast between the movement and the stillness, between the change and the stagnation, between the past, that encloses in ancestry and the present that is held in the eye of the artist.

Tobel is a refuge from the world. Here, the artist reflects and discovers a way to communicate the existence; what is embryonic, fundamental and incipient. A way to bring to the eyes of those who observe his work the assurance that the origin arises from us, but ends in others and in what surround us.

Curator Mara Silvério