*1956
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Floréal Nr. 2 (1998) Floréal Nr. 2 Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1998 Type: Work on paper Material: Gouache on paper Measures: 150 x 198,3 cm Acces / purchase date: 1999 Inventory number: 0785 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1983) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1983 Type: Work on paper Material: Acrylic on paper Measures: 50 x 75 cm Acces / purchase date: 25.03.2008 Inventory number: 1119 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1999) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1999 Type: Work on paper Material: Gouache on paper Measures: 22 x 31,1 cm Acces / purchase date: 2003 Inventory number: 0883 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1987) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1987 Type: Work on paper Material: India ink on paper Measures: 21 x 29,2 cm Acces / purchase date: 2005 Inventory number: 0977 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1999) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1999 Type: Work on paper Material: Gouache on paper Measures: 22 x 31 cm Acces / purchase date: 2003 Inventory number: 0884 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Feldstecher – Leiter – böses Gesicht [Binoculars – Ladder – Evil Face (9 pieces)] (1986/1987) Feldstecher – Leiter – böses Gesicht [Binoculars – Ladder – Evil Face (9 pieces)] Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1986/1987 Type: Work on paper Material: 7 sheets: gouache on paper, 2 sheets: oil pastel on paper Measures: 260 x 275 cm Acces / purchase date: 1987 Inventory number: 0525 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1989) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1989 Type: Work on paper Material: India ink on paper Measures: 20,9 x 29,4 cm Acces / purchase date: 2003 Inventory number: 1164 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (2003) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 2003 Type: Work on paper Material: Gouache on paper Measures: 54,8 x 75 cm Acces / purchase date: 2003 Inventory number: 0885 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885) -
Untitled (1989) Untitled Artist: Silvia Bächli Dating: 1989 Type: Work on paper Material: India ink on paper Measures: 20,9 x 29,4 cm Acces / purchase date: 2003 Inventory number: 1165 Copyright: © Silvia Bächli; Fotos: Brigitt Lattmann (Inv.-Nr. 0525), André-Marc Räubig (Inv.-Nr. 0785, 0885)
In 1998, a good ten years after the nine-part ensemble of drawings “Feldstecher – Leiter – böses Gesicht”, Bächli painted “Floréal Nr. 2”, a dynamic, large-format linear composition, which marked the beginning of an extensive series of gouaches. Even if this almost Baroque group of works appears to be the polar opposite of her work as a whole, which generally tends toward reduction, the wonderfully light, “flowery” clusters do in a sense indicate the direction that her drawings and linear art have taken since then. Her pictorial means have remained sparse, yet there is room for calligraphic elements; masterful ease is perfectly balanced with extreme concentration.
Bächli’s work has become ever denser, like an inward spiral. Whereas there were hints and touches of narration in her early works, autonomous abstraction has increasingly taken precedence over figuration. Meaning is distilled in concentrated contents and looms into view with poetic concision. But there is also an outward spiral: within the close confines of her work—“drawing and painting on paper is my sole artistic activity”(1)—and for all the restraint of her pictorial means and the absolute priority given to the line, Bächli has laid claim to an extensive terrain that goes far beyond the bounds of conventional drawing. The fact that color suddenly appeared in her work over ten years ago—which previously had seemed barely possible—attests to the great freedom she allows herself in those close confines. And another thing still holds true: these days when Bächli is able to fill an entire room with her works, the outcome is always a multipart, full-scale mise-en-scène: a realm of drawing for visitors to stroll through as they please, with no immediate goal.
Beat Wismer
(1) See Silvia Bächli, Lidschlag. How It Looks, Baden 2004, unpaginated.
Further works by Silvia Bächli in the Baloise art collection:
Inv. no. 0863, Untitled, 1982, Ink on paper, 20 x 11.3 cm
Inv. no. 0883, Untitled, 1999, Gouache on paper, 22 x 31.1 cm
Inv. no. 0884, Untitled, 1999, Gouache on paper, 22 x 31 cm
Inv. no. 0886, Untitled, 2003, Gouache on paper, 55 x 74.6 cm
Inv. no. 0887, Untitled, 2003, Gouache on paper, 55 x 74.8 cm
Inv. no. 0977, Untitled, 1987, India ink on paper, 21 x 29.2 cm
Inv. no. 1119, Untitled, 1983, Acrylic on paper, 50 x 74.5 cm
Inv. no. 1120, Untitled, 1983, Acrylic on paper, 50 x 74.5 cm
Inv. no. 1164, Untitled, 1989, India ink on paper, 20.9 x 29.4 cm
Inv. no. 1165, Untitled, 1989, India ink on paper, 20.9 x 29.4 cm