Flies

Flies are a sign of decay, but they are also a symbol of nature’s recycling circuit: The maggots transform rotting material – «waste» – in consumable biomass. They pupate and finally emerge as the flying adult insect. But watching them without prejudice they are also just pretty, glittering, and fascinating creatures.

For this series I reared and collected dead flies which would sere me as models, which I painted using a magnifying glass. I was mostly interested in manifesting the immediate impression that the glittering flies would leave on me. I rendered the insects with swift and flowing brushstrokes using egg temper or oil paint.

F33 Goldfliege 25 1 Dscf3680

Green Bottle Fly (F33), 2013,
egg temper on painting board, 30x30 cm

F38 Goldfliege Dscf3916

Green Bottle Fly (F38), 2013
egg temper on painting board, 30x30 cm

F9 Stubenfliege 4 2 Dscf3679

Fly (F9), 2013
oil on aluminium on painting board, 30x30 cm

F53 Fliege Dscf7643

Green Bottle Fly (F53), 2015
oil on painting board, 30x30 cm

F54 Goldfliege Dscf7782

Green Bottle Fly (F54), 2015
oil on painting board, 30x30 cm

F36 Goldfliege Dscf3914

Green Bottle Fly (F35), 2013
egg temper on painting board, 30x30 cm

F10 Stubenfliege 4 3 Dscf3693

Fly (F10), 2013
oil on painting board, 30x30 cm

F32 Blauer Brummer 24 3 Dscf3674

Bluebottle Fly (F32), 2013
egg temper on painting board, 30x30 cm

Beide Fliegen 01 Dscf9060

Green Bottle Flies (F62, F63), 2016
oil on canvas, each 160x160 cm

Goldfliege Stefan Aufder Maur 2 Dscf8968

Bluebottle Fly (F65), 2016
oil on aluminium on metallic paper on cardboard, 15 cm

Goldfliege Stefan Aufder Maur Dscf8966

Green Bottle Fly (F64), 2016
oil on aluminium on metallic paper on cardboard, 15 cm

Reinart Fliege Stefan Aufder Maur Dscf7108

Exhibition view, 2015
At the Rhine Falls, Galerie Reinart

F49 Goldfliege Dscf3703

Green Bottle Fly (F49), 2013
oil on paper (poster), 56x66 cm