Philipp Pusch - Artist

ALL INFO DIFFUSE

Exhibits
DIFFUSE LEGENDEN, Philipp Pusch

DIFFUSE LEGENDEN is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged exhibition that invites visitors to explore the significance of transience in our daily lives. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of memories and the need to preserve them, even in the face of loss and change.

01 Die Tolteken
Oilpaintings on canvas, each 125x155cm, 2023

In the painting series "Die Tolteken" silhouettes of colorful heroic figures stand out. Abstractions, some of which are so strongly alienated that they can only be recognized as figurative beings in context. The heroic portrayal of the protagonists stands as a symbol for the grandparents who impart values and wisdom to us on their journey through life. They are an important part of our identity. The alienation and deformation of these points to the active alteration of our memories of formative people who have passed away from us.
The Toltecs were a civilization that dominated what is now Mexico from the 10th to the 12th century. They were known for their advances in art, medicine, architecture, and philosophy, and had a deep spiritual faith that they passed on to posterity in their writings and teachings.

02 Gefühlswinkel
Soundinstallation; fiel recordings & interactive FM synthesizer, 2023

Pure chance serves as an important means for the spatial and acoustic design. The sound installation "Gefühlswinkel" is an interactive experience that allows the viewer to have an active experience to create a present moment and be part of the overall artwork. To create unique soundscapes, visitors can intuitively influence and control the sound waves of the installation by simply operating a synthesizer. In addition, distorted and abstracted original recordings of a funeral service speech serve as an acoustic investigation and description of a state of mind in mourning. The sound in "Gefühlswinkel" fades away at the moment of its creation and is the acoustic dimension of transience.

03 Mosaik aus Leben und Tod
Installation; Daily objects and handmade dolls

An amalgamation of everyday objects and hand-sized dolls that possess a mystical power. Complementing the composition are personal letters and sealed canning jars capable of affecting the viewer's physical and emotional state. A conglomerate of objects that offers an interesting perspective into the world of mystical culture and spiritual beliefs.
The connection to the dead is addressed in "Mosaik aus Leben und Tod" through various handmade dolls that were collected from isolated found objects and flotsam and jetsam on several journeys over extended periods of time and then assembled. The individual dolls serve as mementos of insightful, bygone times. They are symbols for the end of a moment.

Inspired by the death rituals of the Toraja, on the island of Sulawesi in Indoenesia, the dolls symbolize the existing contact with the dead. As a sign of charity, the Toraja meet their beloved deceased family members every three years. Already the children learn to deal with death and the dead. Life does not have an abrupt end and the whole family has enough time to slowly say goodbye. At the burial sites, wooden dolls commemorate the deceased.

Other personal exhibits, such as letters, notebook pages, and decorative gems, serve as links to the past in "Mosaik aus Leben und Tod" providing opportunities for memories, such as of a smell, an experience, or a person. Mementos are an important support in life and invite the individual to identify with them and connect with past emotions.

04 Sehnsucht nach einer heilen Welt
Installation; fence & bollard, soccerball & roller, 2023

The found objects exhibited are a metaphorical exploration of the process of changing memories. They were collected from the urban environment and complementarily installed in the exhibition space to evoke feelings of nostalgia and destruction. Through their arrangement, they form a visual narrative that speaks of the fleeting and transitory nature of human existence and the importance of preserving memories over time.

05 Die Leichtfertigkeit des Ernstes
Triptych; Oilpaintings on wood 160x390cm, 2021

The triptych "Die Leichtfertigkeit des Ernstes" provides a figurative expression of transience. Divided into three sections, the work serves as an image of life. Through the unusual installation, the third part appears delimited and thus transfers the moment of dying from life into the exhibition space. The mottled gray background serves creatively as a world of feeling, a texture of pain defined by death. The work is a characterization of the utopia of death in Western European culture, where the end of life is, for the most part, little to not addressed.

06 Artefakte des Todes & Artefakte des Lebens
Objectframe, 18x23cm & Typecase, 34x47cm, 2023

The object works "Artefakte des Lebens" and “Artefakte des Todes” deepen juxtaposing with symbols of transience the dual nature of human existence. In the form of a set box "Artefakte des Lebens" is the compilation of various mementos, which were kept over 10 years as a means of spiritual time travel into the past. Formative events and milestones of life are set against the object frame "Artefakte des Todes". Its components are composed of isolated remnants of a journey, collected in the period of mourning and assembled as a composition.

The works "Mosaik aus Leben und Tod," "Artifakte des Lebens," "Artefakte des Todes," and "Sehnsucht nach einer heilen Welt" challenge visitors to consider the role physical objects play in creating and preserving memories, and how they can serve as powerful tools to connect us to our past and our loved ones.

07 Glück
35min Videoprojection; 8mm Recordings, filmed and directed by Jobst Teschner, DDR 1960-1986

The 8-mm film footage from Jobst Teschner's archive presents an ideal world of childhood and family. The video projection covers a wide range of everyday events, the seemingly perfect moments show happy faces, carefree freedom and shared experiences. These images convey a nostalgic atmosphere and give the impression that this happiness is everlasting.

However, the visitor to the exhibition is made aware of the contrast with death. This ideal world is transient, life is a finite cycle. This makes us aware that nothing is permanent and that we should remember how precious and valuable every moment is. The work additionally underpins the fragmentary memories, which for the most part remain retrievable to us as mental images only through seen photographs and video recordings.

08 Das Leben kennenlernen
Oilpaintings on canvas, various sizes, 2021-2023

These works show the duality of life by taking up formative images and color worlds of childhood and try to connect the theme of life and death in the form of painting. The images show the joy and happiness of life, but also the sadness and suffering that are inevitable.