Jakob Kirchmayr is an Austrian artist and illustrator whose associative painting is saturated with symbolism and rawness. He is best known for the expressive drawings rooted in the tradition of Informel, which suggests not only Kirchmayr’s grand skillfulness, but the inner (self-)exploration of themes of human suffering and existence in general. Whether populated by depersonalized figures or deprived of the human presence altogether, these works are representing a visualization of metaphors drawn from the artist’s imagination.

Featured image: Jakob Kirchmayr - Herbst ohne Ernte, 2018 (detail). Mixed media on arches paper. 44 9/10 × 70 9/10 in. 114 × 180 cm. This is a unique work. Photo courtesy Galerie Ernst Hilger.