THOMAS WACHHOLZ | piano

It all begins with a matchstick. An unassuming object designed for a single, irreversible moment. Friction produces fire; fire transforms matter. A brief hiss, a flicker of flame, and all that remains is a charred stick. From this elemental process, Wachholz has developed an artistic vocabulary that brings together painting, sculpture, chemistry, and performative processes. At its core are both the act of ignition itself and the question of what processes a single gesture can set in motion.

Using his own specially developed mixtures of red phosphorus, Wachholz turns the canvas in his 'Monochrome series' into reactive surfaces. Striking a match becomes an act of mark-making. At times, it leaves minimal, almost rhythmically placed traces, accentuated by wisps of smoke that resemble a skyline on the horizon. Elsewhere, the ignition marks accumulate into an expressive gesture. The image becomes a record of an event, and time takes on a material dimension.