Martin Werthmann
Martin Werthmann born in 1982, based in Berlin. From 2004-2009 Werthmann studied fine arts at the Academy of Fine Arts Hamburg, in the class of Andreas Slominski. He also was a student of Wim Wenders, Fatih Akin and Daniel Richter.
On the surface, Werthmann’s works are an aesthetically engaging series of patterns and textures, yet with more investigation the images under the surface reveal a tension and subtle melancholy. The motifs and patterns in his prints are created from found images of tragic events such as car accidents and car bomb explosions juxtaposed with mundane elements like picturesque landscapes and water surfaces. Aside from the pure aesthetic interest, he is drawn to photos of catastrophic events because they represent moments that break daily routines and disrupt society.
Werthmann carves patterns and motifs from sections of his found images into wood block panels and prints onto paper in multiple layers that form the unique collage-like final pieces. His prints often exceed 6 x 10 feet – dimensions considered already unusually large for photographs and even more unique for woodblock prints. He approaches the process more as an installations rather than a painting—boards get screwed to the floor, paper gets folded over the inked elements repeatedly creating many layers, most of the works are the result of 10 or more layers.
