Zeiggeist
Acrylic, Lacquer on Wood
37x29in
Spain
Lucas Stolz (*1985 in Basel, Switzerland) understands calligraphy as a painterly act. Writing as a developmental process for images in which words dissolve, signs as traces of a body that writes, where it could also paint.
In his work, he explores four fundamental levels of handwriting: the invention and transformation of signs; continuous writing, which, through repetition, makes humanity visible; the development of custom writing tools, that shape the stroke; and the analysis and repurposing of materials from writing cultures, leading to experiments with sand, pigments and wood.
The artist develops tools and techniques that are idiosyncratic, almost defiant. They demand physical effort, they distort, chop, and multiply the stroke—giving it temperament. This process highlights the question of authorship: Who is writing here—the hand, the tool, or the surface?