Hazel grouse, Robert Hainard

This is another "unfitting" blog post, because it is not about photography or a photographer, but about "another" artist: this is a new contribution to the "my treasures" collection. The previous texts in this category - about Ueli Lüthi, Rudolf Mirer and Jacques Rime - have been very successful and are among the most visited posts. Today's treasure introduces Robert Hainard, who was a natural artist, writer and philosopher from the french speaking part of Switzerland. In contrast to all previously highlighted artists, including photographers, Robert Hainard is not alive anymore - he died in 1999 at the age of 93.

Rober Hainard studied art and is known for his drawings, wood and stone sculptures and most importantly his xylographs. He invented a method to create multi-colored woodcuts of animals and wildflowers. Robert Hainard observed his subjects in the wild and carved one wooden plate for each color of the final print (he used up to 14 plates per image). Different shades of color were obtained by removing more or less wood and the plates had to be carefully aligned (the crosses discernible in the prints help the alignement) and each color was printed separately ontop of each other. To me, these wonderful prints look almost like watercolor paintings and I am amazed at how he managed to imagine the separate images that were required to create the final work of art he envisioned.

Redshank, Robert Hainard

Robert Hainard was not only an artist who created beautiful prints, sculptures and drawings of animals and plants. His inspiration came from his wanderings around Geneva, where he lived. He created his works of art based on the drawings of his observations and his memories and impressions of his excursions. An intact natural environment was therefore very important to Robert Hainard and he was an early voice that tried to remind us of the value and beauty of nature. Some of his ideas are nicely expressed in the movie clip below (in french).

 

Running flock of chamoises, Jacques Rime

It has been a while since I last shared one of my treasures with you. Here I would like to call your attention to Jacques Rime. I know Mr. Rime through the wonderful chamoise lithography depicted above. We traveled from Zurich to Les artisanes in Fribourg in order to buy a copy of Jacques Rime's running flock of chamoises, but unfortunately, it was not among the lithographies and paintings at disposition. Luckily, the helpful shop assistant immediately called Mr. Rimes and discovered that only an artist's proof was left, which was sent to us together with an invoice a few days later (of course without prepayment or anything; this is Switzerland after all). Ever since, the fugitive chamoises decorate our living room and please us every day.

Jacques Rime is a swiss nature artist who paints and creates lithographies (some examples can be seen here) of wild animals that he observes and studies in woods and mountains in the canton of Fribourg. Mr. Rime seems almost as seclusive as his favorite animal, the lynx. He hast studied and followed this shy and secretive feline for more than 20 years and published some of his observations, drawings and paintings in the book La nuit le lynx, which looks wonderful but is unfortunately not available anymore. Jacque Rime has also illustrated children's books of the Jeunesse Faune Sauvage series on the wood grouse, the bear, the fox and the lynx. Jacques Rime's fascination for the lynx and passion for nature are certainly conveyed best by himself and therefore I suggest to watch the short (1 min 8 s) movie below (there is also a second and a third part - all three are in French though). If you have more time and want to learn more about Jacques Rime and the art of animal observation you may also watch THIS documentary on Jacque Rime (it dates from 1977!). 

Friendship - Love ("Freundschaft - Liebe", Rudolf Mirer)

Again, I would like to use the occasion of a current exhibition to share a treasure (not a photo treasure) with you. Rudolf Mirer is one of Switzerland's most well-known contemporary artists. The exhibition at the Galerie Nievergelt in Zurich, is very diverse and includes paintings, drawings as well as rare lithographies that are all beautifully presented and framed. I particularly like the ink drawing entitled "Friendship - Love." Although on first sight it may not appear particularly amiable and mellow, I somehow enjoy how the two owls share an eye. Maybe Rudolf Mirer wants to tell us that sharing an eye or rather seeing with the same eye is what friendship and love is about (the drawing is still available and costs 8'200 CHF). 
Much of Rudolf Mirer's work seems inspired by the nature and culture of the mountainous environment of Graubünden, where he lives and works. The subjects, owls (a recurring subject), animals or human beings, are often shown abstractly with clear lines and contrasts and strong colors. The subjects almost seem like icons or symbols for the themes that are important to Rudolf Mirer: creation, friendship, home, human beings, love and nature. Below, you can see two lithographies (Chamois, Quest for Hope and Peace) and a drawing/painting (Colorful Owl) that I also like very much.

Chamois, Rudolf Mirer

Quest for Hope and Peace (left), Colorful Owl (right),  Rudolf Mirer

Rudolf Mirer's style is unique and authentic and there are many works with a similar character that I appreciate. In addition, Rudolf Mirer also illustrated several books and designed wine labels. If you happen to be in the surroundings of Zurich until the end of December, I encourage you to visit the nice exhibition at the Galerie Nievergelt. The place is very easily and quickly accesible from the center of Zurich by a short train ride (7 min) and walk (5 min) and also features a book shop and a stationary shop.

Blumenwiese III (Ueli Lüthi)

This post is an exception. As you may have noticed, it is not a "photo treasure" but "only" a treasure - about a painter, to be exact.

Ueli Lüthi has a very interesting vita. He is a draughtsman by education, was once one of the best ice hockey players in Switzerland (he won the swiss ice hockey championchip in 1967, played at eight world championships and participated in the Olympic Games in 1972) and after his career he moved to the little town Borgonovo (the birthplace of the famous swiss artist Alberto Giacometti) in the Bergell, a remote valley in the Swiss mountains.

I have first seen paintings by Ueli Lüthi at a gallery where I live and was completely mesmerized. I most appreciated (and still do) his various paintings of flower meadows. Ueli Lüthi's meadows are gaudy flower carpets that seem to extend upwards towards the mountain summits and the sun. For me, the cheerful colors, subtle patterns and the impressionistic style perfectly capture the essence and essential of flowering alpine meadows. Ueli Lüthi captures the substance of his subjects so well that the botanist may even surmise the particular species of flower that some of the dots and streaks represent. 

Unfortunately, I have not found much information about Ueli Lüthi and his work online. If you are interested and live somewhere close to Zurich I would recommend visiting the current Ueli Lüthi exposition in the Reppischhallen in Dietikon (the exposition will be open until November 28th). For those of you who understand German, there is an article introducing Ueli Lüthi in the Tagesanzeiger Zürich from 2007 and webpages from his hometown feature the Galleria Lüthi in Borgonova (another link is here). There is also a movie (see below) and photographs from an earlier Ueli Lüthi exhibition at the same location as the current display.

The photograph above this text is "our" Ueli Lüthi alpine flower meadow; a small oil painting on metal that hangs in our alleyway and enlightens our days; particularly when a reflected sunbeam makes the colors glow.

Enjoy and have a nice weekend!

Ueli Lüthi, Ausstellung in Dietikon Schweiz 2006 - MyVideo Schweiz