The subjects close to me

In the beginning I painted figurative work that was strongly influenced by photorealism. The resulting images meant more than just a technically ingenious, illusionistic representation of the pictures that served as the starting image.
 The subjects of my paintings were at that time social documents about my stay in Central Asia.
 Nevertheless, the last years my paintings have become more personal.  I felt that the image didn't satisfy me and the subject became less important. Hence, I became more drawn into the material side of my paintings.  I've always wanted to be an abstract painter.  My admiration and the spirit of the abstract expressionist movement, street art, torn posters and abstract language became a big inspiration. These have now started to play a more prominent role in my work.
 Currently, I'm working on a series of abstractions named   "sites of memory," when memories become a mental abstraction.  These paintings are focussed more on the material and intuition. Working in both paint and collage, I try to approach various aspects of painting by combining them with feelings, my interests, my surrounding and the world. By embedding elements from my daily life - feelings and personal memories, I'm once again producing a mapping of existence.  The lines that separate us from one point to another can be read as a map, an abstract route.  Working on sheets of paper, canvas or directly on the wall, dashing off lines and forms, in a nearly impossible attempt to capture the intensity of the moment, of me and of my surrounding.
 Even now that paint has lost his prominent role in my work I still feel related to the fact of being a painter.  My approach to the work is still similar: in a similar way as before I'm building up my work as of I'm still a figurative oil painter.  But my relationship to the work is very different.  It's more intense and there is less distance.  I use to work with a clear idea but now it's a growing process.  Working on several paintings at the same time allows each painting the indispensable period of rest it needs before being reworked and adjusted afterwards again.
 The act and the movement al together with the substance both play an important role in these works which are built upon different layers of tape, charcoal, oil paint, code language, spray bomb and paper magazine. I am also aware of the element of chance and I try to deal with it consciously.
 The element of chance is manifested mainly in the composition by removing layers and creating new ones.
 Lately, I translate the abstraction into the space by working directly on the wall and ceiling.