“I consider artistic creation to be first an inner monologue. A little like the dream continues in deep sleep, the covering of a painting is the continuation of this monologue in silence.” – Arnulf Rainer
01. About
The objective was to design and produce a portrait of Arnulf Rainer to be installed on the façade of his museum in Baden, Austria.
Arnulf Rainer is widely regarded as one of the most significant abstract artists of the 20th century. As a co-founder of Informalism in Austria, he became internationally recognized for his distinctive technique of “overpainting.” Rainer applied this method to photographic portraits, self-portraits, reproductions of famous artworks, and occasionally even original works by artists such as Van Gogh, Goya, and Rembrandt. Using rapid, expressive brushstrokes—or sometimes his own fingers—he would redraw, obscure, or cross out the underlying images. The result is a powerful visual language that transforms the original material into intense, often surreal and deeply emotional compositions.
02. A Monumental Painting
The hyperrealistic portrait of the artist was created using acrylic painting techniques. The original artwork measures 60 × 90 cm (23.6 × 35.4 in) and served as the basis for an enlarged, monumental version intended for installation on the façade of the museum.
As the artist frequently used black-and-white photographs as the basis for his works, the portrait was created in a photographic realism style. The acrylic technique allowed for the gradual building of layered paint, enabling the careful rendering of facial details and textures, which ultimately produced a highly naturalistic result.
03. Façade Art Installation
As part of the museum façade, the portrait was designed to visually correspond with the artist’s work. For this reason, we incorporated expressive brushstrokes and patterns inspired by Rainer’s original artworks, projecting them onto the façade as an integral part of the overall composition.
Rainer’s face is portrayed with a sense of dignity and respect, reflecting both his artistic significance and his age. Although the concept draws inspiration from elements of Rainer’s own work, the final composition was intended to convey harmony and serenity—serving as a tribute to one of Austria’s most influential artists.
