From Waste to Presence
From Waste to Presence is a matter painting on cardboard created from reclaimed packaging material. What was once designed to protect and then be discarded becomes the foundation of a layered, tactile artwork. By choosing cardboard instead of canvas, the material itself becomes part of the narrative.
The work began as an experiment with sumpfkalk (lime plaster) and marble powder. This mineral mixture formed a dense, creamy surface that reacted unpredictably while drying. Under sunlight, the material developed a natural craquelé — cracks that were not forced, but emerged through tension and time. As a matter painting on cardboard, the piece balances fragility and strength within its structure.
Material & Surface
The layered surface was built gradually using lime, marble powder, pigments, ink washes and bitumen. After the initial cracking appeared, a binder was applied to secure the fragile fragments while preserving their raw texture. The result is a surface that feels both geological and architectural.
The visible air chambers within the cardboard remain part of the artwork. They reveal the construction beneath the surface and emphasize the transformation from packaging to presence. This matter painting on cardboard does not conceal its origin — it elevates it.
Transformation and Presence
What began as waste material evolves into a composed and framed artwork. The white shadow frame does not hide the raw edges; instead, it gives them space. The contrast between rough material and refined presentation highlights the core idea of the work: transformation without erasure.
By working with reclaimed cardboard and mineral materials, the painting carries memory within its layers. From protection to exposure. From disposal to contribution.
This matter painting on cardboard invites the viewer to look closely — not only at the cracks and textures, but at the potential within overlooked materials.
