Fratzen/Grimaces

In the surreal representations of his Fratzen – in english “Grimaces” – Kriesel intends to confront the defective and distorted state of the world.
Quirky figures, fearful face expressions and ruined livelihoods, as well as funny-looking, smiling caricatures are brought to the paper or canvas with fine lines but a gestural manner of painting. “These “Fratzen” are also the “Grimaces” that we are confronted with in Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and the other ‘communities’ as well as in television. They grin at us from all over the place, be it Big Brother, any Talent show or from ‘I’m a Celebrity, get me out of here!’”.

Kriesel calls “Grimaces” that merge into each other “Grimace carpets”. Here all these different grotesque grimaces become a unit. A grimace can thus look deeply unhappy and at the same time laugh somehow angrily. According to the artist this also reflects our society, which on the one hand “functions” well –that is, is able to offer good entertainment–, but on the other causes pain.

Peer Kriesel shows his state of shock with this crazy world and his internal conflict in accepting it painting, drawing or blotting his “grimaces” almost uninterruptedly.
He is looking for the perfect, absolute grimace, that is, –according to the artist–: one that “embodies the total emotion, the absolute power”.

The Fratzen/grimaces (#FRTZN) and »grim carpets« become calligraphic structures, so that they remind of graffiti tags or pieces and interact with the wall in the idea of Mural Art.