24.Mai -29.September 2023

COSMIC LOTUS    Art, Spirituality and Science

The lotus flower was already one of the most important symbols of regeneration and rebirth in ancient Egypt. The blue lotus was considered sacred and, across many traditions of the world, has come to represent healing, beauty, and strength. In science, the so-called lotus effect has become an important field of research, describing the remarkable self-cleaning properties found in the surface structure of lotus leaves.

Inspired by Claude Monet’s iconic Water Lilies, the artist translates this familiar image into three dimensions, transforming it into large-scale inflatable objects floating on Lake Millstatt.

Situated between the artificial nature of inflated forms and the organic aesthetics of the landscape, the work reflects on the beauty of nature and the ways in which we perceive, value, and relate to it. Visible during the day and particularly luminous at night, Cosmic LOTUS invites us to open our perception toward a greater whole—to experience ourselves as only a small part of an infinitely larger context and to contemplate the cosmic cycle of emergence, transformation, and disappearance.

Wolfgang Semmelrock’s work explores the multiple layers of nature—the visible as well as the invisible. His practice investigates unknown spaces, hidden connections, and phenomena of which we, as human beings, perceive only fragments. These territories and mysteries become fields of artistic exploration.

Nomadic works and projects such as PlanetenKlang, an interdisciplinary art project, as well as LOTUS, ANGEL, the Planets, Rainbow, and KlangHelm (Sound Helmet), are manifestations of this approach. Appearing temporarily in different environments, they transform familiar spaces and invite new forms of perception.

Shifts in perspective and imagination are key elements of Semmelrock’s artistic practice.

Experiencing our relationship with our planet, with nature, with our social environment, and ultimately with ourselves within a universal and cosmic context forms the foundation of much of his diverse body of work.