The Lightness of a Shadow
Solo show

Opening: October 25th, 2024
Wentrup Venezia
Cannaregio n. 6359, Calle de la Testa
30121 Venezia VE, Italy

The Swiss artist is renowned for his playful and thought-provoking paintings, sculptures, and installations. Renggli’s art often incorporates everyday objects and whimsical elements, transforming them into pieces that challenge conventional perceptions and evoke a sense of wonder. His use of vibrant colors, unexpected materials, and intricate craftsmanship reflects a deep engagement with both the absurd and the beautiful.

In Venice, the artist presents new works from his ongoing Desire Paintings series. With this series, Renggli developed his signature technique in 2015. First, he paints a background wood panel with abstract forms in various colors, juxtaposed by a jute net in the front, on which he paints different colorful shapes. The overlapping of both surfaces creates a three-dimensional depth with interesting optical sensations. On an ironic note, the paintings combine the aesthetics of decorative interior design, referencing and challenging the tradition of modernist abstract art. Renggli’s use of jute netting material derives from finding jute netting mesh used on the side of mountains in Switzerland to prevent mud and rockslides.