Beke László (szerk.): Instruktiv + Inter + Konkret. Művészet Malom Szentendre, 21. November - 26. Januar 2015 (Sankt Augustin, 2014)
4. Hellmut Bruch
For many years light and the laws of nature have been the central themes in my work. I use an elementary and universal language which relates to the laws of nature and takes shape in „open forms“. Frequently, but not always, I work with the Fibonacci series, which is connected to the Golden Ratio and, in my opinion, belongs to the formative laws of nature. My works are not abstractions of the visible. They follow those preconditions that give shape to the material world. My preferred materials are light as „open medium“, acrylic glass and refined steel. Content is more important to me than form. May the resulting „open forms“ be a feast for the eyes! For many years I have used steel but, when in 1999 I discovered fluorescent, radiant acrylic glass, where colour and material become one, I was so deeply moved by the enigmatic glow of the material due to light that I concentrated even more intensively on light. I became more sensitive towards the essential nature of light. I was filled with wonder that light, the phenomenon in our lives that we simply take for granted, cannot be seen; that is, light is not visible but makes the world visible to us. The sources of light - the sun or filaments - are, after all, not light. They are attributes. Light, which is the cause of our existence, (and I say this naively to myself) also has an element of purpose - the constant, indefatigable effect of light -really incredible! Many questions came to mind and I was in total amazement. I consulted all the experts I knew and asked them: „What is light?“ One young physics professor gave me an acceptable answer: „Hellmut, light is that which matter refuses rest!“ An example is photosynthesis. In the course of my investigations I found two fine statements: I am obsessed with light. It is an elementary source of energy, a kind of cosmic charcoal. It enables things to grow and to die. It can transform itself into all manner of things - a plant - an idea A Short Statement on My Work with Light and the Laws of Nature Films are made of light! Dennis Hopper 1936-2010, actor & film director Light is energy as well as information, content, form and structure. It is the potential for everything. David Bohm 1917-1992, quantum physicist For me, light is the unfathomable, perpetual “cosmic event“. I use it as the basis of my work. We live in a universe with billions of galaxies and trillions of stars and yet it is still dark at night because light itself is not visible but it makes the world bright and visible to us. That is what I try to transfer to my work! 51
