Bored to be alive

Willehad Eilers

Info: In his upcoming solo exhibition Willehad Eilers combines painting and text in a multi-layered exploration of emotion, pictorial conventions and the question of what real art is allowed to convey. The starting point for the series was an attempt to work without a plan – intuitively, calmly, without pressure. But instead of relaxation, a phase of emptiness set in, in which frustration and understanding went hand in hand. »How long must I stare until nature finally takes effect?« asks Eilers. Nature, otherwise, a symbol of retreat and relaxation, becomes a projection screen for inner turmoil. The writing overlays the image, acting like a filter – protective and distancing at the same time. Eilers deliberately draws on the visual language of so-called home decoration to sabotage it: the familiar aesthetic becomes a vehicle for themes such as war, sexuality, exclusion and the fragility of interpersonal relationships. The works do not show answers, but states of being. »It’s okay to cry again«, says the artist. These works do just that – and allow viewers to do the same. (…) Opening on the occasion of DC Open.