Current exhibition
Hidden treasures
The Black Forest through Latin-American eyes
SOLO SHOW 16. October – 15. December 2021
Altes Rathaus. Hauptstrasse 11 76593 Gernsbach, Germany
There are two events in my life that influenced my work deeply. One was my eco-social project in the Amazonia, the second my arrival in the German Black Forest. Living close to the woods again is a revitalizing experience for which I am deeply grateful. The colours of the region, new places, people and traditions keep me in a state of permanent fascination and bring new ideas to my work.
— Arturo Laime
Exhibition Catalogue
Summer stream, 2021
Oil on canvas
120 x 90 cm (47,2 x 35,4 in)
Nagold Valley Dam, 2021
Oil on canvas
120 x 90 cm (47,2 x 35,4 in)
Hikers, 2021
Oil on canvas
90 x 120 cm (35,4 x 47,2 in)
Deer on the path, 2021
Oil on canvas
90 x 70 cm (35,4 x 27,6 in)
Man with wolves, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 90 cm (27,6 x 35,4 in)
The exhibition space: das Altes Rathaus – Weingut Iselin. Gernsbach, Germany
The first sight, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
The gardener, 2021
Oil on canvas
60 x 50 cm ( 23,6 x 19,68 in)
Vineyards in Varnhalt, 2021
Oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm (19,7 x 27,5 in)
The conquistador, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
Funfair, 2021
Oil on canvas
60 x 50 cm ( 23,62 x 19,68 in)
This work was inspired by my experience of living in a multicultural city. During my time in Frankfurt I lived with people from all over the world, and it was an experience as interesting as it was complicated. I remember travelling in the tram with the sound of hundreds of languages ringing in my ear.
What we learnt from living in this Babel is that we are all special, and we all have something unique to share with the society. I decided to explore this idea in a place of fun and entertainment, such as a funfair. The different deities are our avatars, such as Aphrodite, Herne, St. Michael of Africa, Shiva, Krishna and Pacific Island deities. The photo reference was taken at the Jahrmark in Karlsruhe.’
Icarus plans, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
‘Inspired by the story of the mythological figure Icarus, this is a work that reflects on the ability to overcome hardship, especially at this time of global disruption. The autumnal colours show the lushness of the forest, but at the same time warn of the transition to rougher times.’
Autumn in Hörden, 2021
Oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm (19,7 x 27,5 in)
‘Autumn is one of the most interesting seasons for a painter. The variety of colours shown in the landscape of the black forest is endless. Shades of gold, oranges, yellows, greens and reds; quite a visual poetry. Where I come from, in the Peruvian Pacific Ocean, I perceived only two marked seasons, summer and winter. In that sense the beauty of autumn is something relatively new to me. I see this as an analogy to life itself. Society seems to focus only on the ephemeral beauty of youth, yet it is during the autumn of life that a human being shows all his colours in radiant splendour.’
Cottages in Gausbach, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
‘The beautiful and bucolic landscapes around my current hometown are a contrast to the rushing life in a big city. To achieve this work the observation and calibration of colour, especially greens, was very important.’
Missing, 2021
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
‘The case of Scarlett, a girl lost in the woods of Freiburg, was the inspiration for this piece. The search for her moved me, and made me think about what it really means to be lost. The forest in mist speaks of beings who may be very close, but are still unseen.’
The Lady of the rocks, 2020
Oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm (19,7 x 27,5 in)
‘This work is inspired by a local myth from Baden Baden, as well as by the fresco “Die Felsen” by Jakob Götzenberger. The story is about a hunter who has an encounter with a supernatural lady in Battertfelsen. She reproves him for his predatory attitude, and this encounter leads him to change his life, becoming a monk and protector of the forest. I wanted to give a more contemporary take on this legend, and give the lady a colourful hippie-style dress. The fact that this painting is also a self-portrait, speaks about the duality present in each of us.’
Bathers in Hesselbach, 2020
Oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm (19,7 x 27,5 in)
‘In my search for leisure and swimming spots I found a beautiful riverbank, where it is possible to dip in the river Murg. The colours of the forest in autumn are warm and radiate a golden light.’
Flößer Party, 2020
Oil on canvas
50 x 70 cm ( 19,7 x 27,5 in)
‘The Floß (raft) was a traditional way to transport wood from the forest to the big cities, like Amsterdam. This painting is inspired in the celebration of The 800th Gernsbach anniversary. The Floß was used once again, this time to bring people into a floating party. I used Acrylic as a background, and then many oil layers were loosely added, to give the artwork his expressionist look.’
Couple in Grobbach, 2020
Oil on canvas
70 x 50 cm ( 27,55 x 19,68 in)
‘The colours under the canopy of trees in Grobbach are a work of light and harmony. For this work I started from a magenta background, to more vibrant greens and browns.’
Eberstein castle in the mist, 2021
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9″)
Mozartstrasse, 2021
Oil on canvas board
25 x 25 cm (9,8 x 9,8 in)
The printing press, 2021
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9″)
New garden plants, 2021
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm ((7,9 x 7,9 in)
Hillside houses, 2021
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9″)
Medieval market, 2019
Oil on canvas board
25 x 25 cms. (9,8 x 9,8 in)
‘Once a year, a medieval market take place in Gernsbach. The stands are made of organic fabric and wood, and offer traditional products of the region. The street where the event take place is very old, with houses hundreds of years old. Being there is like travelling back in time.’
Apple Trees blosssoming, 2020
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9″)
‘For me, the interesting thing about apple trees is the variety of colours they have throughout the year. In spring they are reborn and turn from pure white to pink in a few weeks.’
There are two events in my life that influenced my work deeply. One was my eco-social project in the Amazonia, the second my arrival in the German Black Forest. Living close to the woods again is a revitalizing experience for which I am deeply grateful. The colours of the region, new places, people and traditions keep me in a state of permanent fascination and bring new ideas to my work.
— Arturo Laime
Forbach wooden bridge, 2021
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm ((7,9 x 7,9 in)
Cabins in Reichenbach, 2019
Oil on panel
25 x 25 cm (9,8 x 9,8 in)
‘One of the roads leading to the town of Reichental is called Kunstweg (art trail). It shows many works produced by artists from the region. Next to them are beautiful cottages that complement the artistic vision of this route. I really like the impasto achieved in this work.’
River bank in Weisenbach, 2020
Oil on canvas board
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9″)
‘I prefer my works to remain fluid, capturing the essence of the subject but without going into excessively realistic detail. I have always thought that the faster a work is finished, the more faithful it is to the idea that created it.’
Mummel lake ghost, 2019
Oil on canvas board
25 x 25 cms. (9,8 x 9,8 in)
‘At Mummel Lake there are legends about magical beings that inhabit its waters. One of them is the Mummel lake ghost. The image is inspired by a relief at the entrance of the site. I decided to create a character that looks old, but strong at the same time. The texture is given by a layer of paste, which gives the work a rough appearance.’
Laufbach waterfalls, 2020
Oil on panel
25 x 25 cm (9,8 x 9,8″)
‘When I arrived in the black forest I spent some time without much social contact, as the quarantine did not help me to make new friends. This is reflected in some of my paintings, where the forest is the only element, with no human presence. Eventually I became more known in the region and curiously my work also showed more scenes in society.’
Secret hut, 2020
Oil on panel
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9 in)
‘In Black Forest valleys it is common to find small huts, traditional to the region. When I painted this work, I had a great desire to have a place just for myself in the middle of the forest.’
Way to Lautenfelsen, 2019
Acrylic on panel
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9 in)
‘Some of my paintings are based on photos I take on my travels in the region. Due to social restrictions walking in the forest is a very good alternative. To achieve the rough strokes of this painting I used acrylic paint.’
Murg river, 2019
Acrylic on panel
25 x 25 cm (9,8 x 9,8 in)
‘For this painting I was interested in capturing the shapes and colours seen on the banks of Mug River, without focusing too much on the details. This painting was in turn the inspiration for another painting in this series, Flößer Party. I used acrylic on wood.’
Mrs. Grimms flowers, 2020
Acryl on panel
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9 in)
‘I like the way people in small villages of the Black Forest use flowers to decorate their gardens and entrances. It is a detail that tells a lot about the love for nature and the desire to contribute to the wellbeing of the community. I have heard that there are even competitions for the best flowered house-entrance.’
Gernsbach overview, 2019
Oil on panel
20 x 20 cm (7,9 x 7,9 in)
‘In Black Forest valleys it is common to find small huts, traditional to the region. When I painted this work, I had a great desire to have a place just for myself in the middle of the forest.’
Girl in love, 2020
Oil on canvas
24 x 30 cm (9,4 x 11,8 in)
‘In Spanish we say that a girl in love sees everything in the colour of the roses (pink). Starting with an already used canvas, I identified some shapes as flying roses. Feeling myself emotion and love in my heart I gave shape to this piece.’
