Clemens Ascher

The Art of Clemens Ascher is multi allusive, in both his use of layered symbolism and his treatment of photography as a medium. In his works he continues to critically explore different methods of societal control. From capitalism and advertising via patriotism and nationalism to religion - generated ideas like fears, hopes or desires are implanted into people’s minds in order to control them. Such controlling structures use strong symbols to represent their belief systems.  This is also the starting point of Ascher’s works.

In his photography he recreates similar symbols representing and satirizing these manipulative methods. He continues to construct a surreal world, in which these topics occur in heightened form and multi allusive. Just as the portrayed belief systems, this parallel world is entirely built with photo realistic collage. In this fictional world people function like interchangeable marionettes playing on a theatrical stage. The content just like the working process references the conceptual superstructure of Ascher’s work. Formally the impressive large format works appear painterly with strongly altered perspectives and nearly abstract spatial compositions.

Courtesy of the artist