Start of a New XXL-Figurative Project

Today marks the beginning of a new large-scale figurative project in my studio. The exact title and final form of this work are still intentionally undisclosed. What I can share, however, is the emotional territory it will explore: music, presence, and the conscious decision to enjoy life while it is still unfolding. This project is conceived in an XXL format — not only in terms of physical scale, but also in attitude. It is about immersion. About stepping fully into a moment without overexplaining it. Music plays a central role, not as an illustration, but as a rhythm, a structure, and a shared language that carries memory, joy, and urgency at the same time. Figurative painting allows me to approach these themes with directness. It is faster, more decisive, and less negotiable than abstraction. There is little distance between impulse and action. This immediacy feels essential for a project that revolves around enjoyment, intensity, and the awareness that time is finite. “Enjoying life while it lasts” is not meant nostalgically. It is not about escape. It is about attentiveness — about recognizing moments of connection, sound, movement, and presence as something worth holding onto, even briefly. Over the coming weeks, this project will take shape layer by layer. For now, it remains open, unresolved, and intentionally undefined. More will be shared once the work itself begins to speak. Published on bertermann.art, the official website of artist Claus Bertermann.