Atmosphere of the moment
Moments. An undefined unit of time – fleeting and yet sometimes eternal.
In her series of paintings entitled “Atmosphere of the Moment”, Mirjam Schrei explores the
connection between photography and painting and examines the process of remembering. The works
are based on photographs from her archive and capture the fleeting character of personal
experiences.
In the creative process, a specific moment is recalled and captured in paint. Abstract surfaces and glazed layers of oil paint reflect the non-concrete and ephemeral nature of memory. Realistic elements, realized with ballpoint pen, are used to create concrete references to the photograph and the captured event. The result is an interplay between abstraction and photorealism.
The motivation behind this series was not only to document intense moments, but also to capture their mood. The first drawings, which were the precursor to the series, were created in 2022 during a trip with an aid organization. This was the first time that ballpoint pen drawings were expanded to include color elements – a method of expressing not only the visible but also the emotional and capturing the atmosphere of the
moment.
Mirjam Schrei *1998, is an artist from Graz with a focus on oil painting and ballpoint pen drawing. She studied graphic design and photography at the University of Art and Design Linz
and completed two guest semesters in fine arts at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá. Using light as a metaphor, she explores the themes of hope, transience and
interpersonal relationships. Her works are part of private collections in Colombia, Serbia and Austria.
