ANDREAS LuETHI’S “TRIBuTE TO ROMAN OPALkA”: THE SEARCH FOR INFINITy THROuGH ART

The Swiss artist, Andreas Luethi, grew up in the Canton of Thurgau and later went on to study medicine at the University of Zürich. Subsequently, he practised as a doctor for many years. Aside from the strong appeal medicine had for him, even as a child, he was drawn to art so much that he found the old masters an inspiration. However, he only ever painted for himself over the years – a great deal at that – and his interest in art remained in the background. In his free time, though, he would visit art exhibitions, read books on art and the biographies of artists. As a professional artist, he claims, he is an autodidact who, through “a process of elimination”, found his place in the world of art. In that sense, Andreas Luethi did not follow the well-beaten path most artists tread; instead, art won him over, gradually and over a lengthy period. It was only six years ago that Andreas Luethi finally decided to set up his own studio and seriously turn his attention to painting. Since then, he has gone into a painting frenzy and created over 1000 paintings, mainly oil on canvas. Over the years, the “process of elimination” took him finally to where he is now: grappling with the enduring question of infinity. The concept of infinity intrigued people for thousands of years – in different parts of the world, cultures and civilizations. And it is something that even today, mathematicians, philosophers, scientists and assorted thinkers are grappling with, particularly regarding our universe. Andreas Luethi’s interest in infinity did not stem from his medical perspective. According to him, he still remembers the occasion when as a child, he consciously observed the starry sky and thought about infinity for the first time. Obviously, from that first encounter, the question of infinity fascinated him so much that now his paintings are the result of that “intellectual dalliance”.

Andreas Luethi‘s first foray into portraying his feelings for the concept of infinity was to start, beginning with 1, a series of numbers on a canvass. But then, researching the internet, he came across the artist Roman Opalka. The latter had made his life’s work to draw a series of numbers to depict infinity, which ended on his death. Andreas Luethi was taken aback by the knowledge of Opalka and his work; it was something of an epiphany! He realized that it made no sense for him to start his series of numbers with 1. Instead, he decided to honour Opalka and continue from where Opalka left off and reach the latter’s intended ending of the series – the number 7’777’777. However, in contrast to Opalka, who depicted the theoretical aspects of infinity, Andreas Luethi wants to show not only the theoretical aspects but also our physical reality with colours and forms. Furthermore, contrary to Opalka, he paints the numbers from bottom left to top right to depict human evolution and transcendence. This series of paintings is called the “Tribute to Roman Opalka”.

Andreas Luethi finds that language and intellectual limitations hamper the interpretation and the communication of the concept of infinity. In his particular case, he finds the medium of pictures or paintings more meaningful and certainly more effective to communicate the varied aspects of the concept of infinity. If infinity is the focus and recurring subject of his many works, his paintings are a kind of balancing act between abstraction and figuration to depict infinity in its variety of aspects. According to the artist, his inner feelings and thoughts determine the choice of figuration or abstraction. He does not want his art constrained through other considerations.

The next big opportunity to view the “Tribute to Roman Opalka” is at the famous Venice International Art Exhibition”, the Venice Biennale 2022, in a separate room at Palazzo Bembo, as part of the exhibition “Personal Structures” by the European Cultural Centre. The show runs from 23rd April to 11th November 2022 (pre-opening on 20th, 21st, 22nd April).

Learn more about the Venice Biennale from the website: www. labiennale.org/en/art/2022.