The extremely colorful world of Michael Husmann Tschaeni, an artist born with inherited hearing loss, includes a wide variety of media. For the creation of his work ideas, he uses reverse glass and wall painting, installations, videos, and performances. The reverse glass painting takes an important place. With this technique, the individual layers applied mirror-inverted one after the other to the acrylic glass. The numerous superimpositions, in which a wide variety of media and materials such as watercolor, oil paint, colored pencil, synthetic resin, spray, pigments or glitter are used, make the previous layer disappear in each case, corrective interventions are impossible. The end result is therefore also a surprise for the artist and is only revealed after drying when the work is turned over. Important sources of inspiration for Michael artistic practice are travel and the experience of foreign surroundings. Few long stays in India have influenced his work deeply. The artist's imagery is realistic. Recurring motifs are portraits, in particular his daughter Zama and son Nalo are important protagonists. For Michael, dealing with a topic over a long period of time is of great importance. Working in a series or chapter like format, is significant to his style and process. He concentrates exclusively on the present. The starting point are photo shoots where people and animals are captured in costumes. Further photographs are taken during subsequent performances at selected locations. This pool of snapshots forms the foundation for the paintings. Over a period of several months, the artist devotes himself to the so-called chapters. These are fed by the current life situation and experiences and result in pictures and installations. "The stories are real, they are translated into mystical worlds," the artist describes the process of creation. It is personal views of one's own life presented in a magical way, such as in the works little prophecies (2018), beyond (2019), looking at the big picture (2022). Despite the exuberant colorfulness, it is not an ideal world, but a reality that encompasses everything from beauty to melancholy. Mostly created as large-format to murals, even expansive works supplemented by performances, we lose focus when looking at them, immerse ourselves and engage in a game with our imagination.

(by Karoliina Elmer, Curator Singisen Forum, Muri Switzerland)

Michael Husmann Tschaeni (born 1974 in Lucerne) studied from 1991 to 1999 at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. In between he held his studies 1993 at Bath College of Higher Education, Bath (GB) and from 1998 to 1999 at the National Institute of Design NID in Ahmedabad (IND). He exhibited his art from India across United States, Mexico to Australia, as well as in various galleries in Switzerland. Michael Husmann Tschaeni lives and works in Beinwil am See, Switzerland.