I’ve been working with gold leaf since I paint and it was not a deliberate decision, it just happened. (Reinhard Zich)
Interview with Joachim Lothar Gartner / ex-president from the Kuenstlerhaus Wien and president from the society Bildrecht Wien regarding my exhibition in Vienna 2017
(catalogue „Black Chip Natfor 11“ ISBN: 978-3-200-05343-4).
Gartner:
These are compact, pastosley painted composition that seem to suspend in front of a white background in the contrasting colours red-orange, turquoise blue, stripy weighted, but also violet and gold, gold as transforming materiality for yellow. You have a particular liking for the colour „gold“ which is hardly present in contemporary art after 1945 – which the exception of Yves Klein s gold monochromes. How do you explain your affinity for this splendid colour? What have moved you to this courageous step?
Zich:
For me the colour “gold“ doesn’t stand in any relation with splendour or pomp, in fact the colour stands for purity in sense of authenticity, timelessness. Infinity and transparency. We know gold from byzantine mosaics and icons. The colour gold bears a meaning of spirituality for me.