david borgmann           vita                 selected work            contact/information                  

From: ‘David Borgmann - QUALIA’  at Schierke Seinecke Gallery, Frankfurt,  2024 ©FrankBlümler ©VG Bild Kunst

My newest body of work, titled QUALIA, shown in 2024 at Schierke Seinecke Gallery in Frankfurt/ Germany explores the intrinsic, subjective experience of perception. The paintings are an exploration of the raw, ineffable qualities that define our sensory interactions with the world. The title QUALIA refers to these individual qualities of experience—what it feels like to see, hear, or touch something and serves as the conceptual foundation for this collection of paintings.

In these works, I am concerned with the intersection of abstraction and sensation. The paintings are not direct representations of the world but instead abstract forms that seek to capture the essence of perception itself. While still remotely referring to landscape scenery, each piece is a study in the language of color, texture, and form, allowing these elements to communicate the inner sensations that we experience but cannot easily articulate.

The compositions in QUALIA are deliberately fragmented and layered, reflecting the fragmented nature of perception itself. Just as we experience the world in fleeting moments, where sight, sound, and memory blend together, my paintings do not follow a linear or fixed narrative. Instead, they present a dynamic interplay of elements, where the viewer is invited to navigate through forms and colors that resonate on a deeply personal level.

Central to this series is a play between control and chance. While I structure the compositions through a deliberate use of color gradients and geometric or amorphous forms, I also allow the paint itself to dictate the flow and direction of the work. This tension between intention and spontaneity mirrors the unpredictable nature of sensory experience - how, despite our best efforts to control what we perceive, there are always elements beyond our conscious grasp.

The color palette in QUALIA is intentionally vibrant and emotive, using rich hues that evoke emotional states, from the cool tranquility of blues and purples to the intense energy of fiery reds and oranges. These colors are not meant to represent anything external but to act as a direct conduit for feeling - an attempt to convey what it feels like to see the world, rather than what the world looks like.

In QUALIA, I aim to create an immersive experience for the viewer, one that encourages a deeper engagement with the painting. These works are meant to evoke an emotional and sensory response and a cognitive one at the same time. I hope the viewer can lose themselves in the layers of abstraction and discover their own subjective experience in the interplay of form and color.

Ultimately, QUALIA is an inquiry into the nature of perception - how we, as individuals, make sense of the world around us and how the act of seeing itself is a deeply personal, often ineffable, experience. Through this body of work, I seek to capture the elusive and complex nature of the human experience, inviting the viewer to reflect on their own perception and the way in which art can serve as a gateway to understanding the world in its most intimate, unspoken form.




From: ‘David Borgmann - KASKADEN’  at Philipp Anders Gallery, Baumwollspinnerei, Leipzig,  2023 ©VG Bild Kunst

The painting series Kaskaden, shown in the solo show with the same title at Philipp Anders Gallery at the Baumwollspinnerei in Leipzig in 2023 explores the dynamic and fluid nature of cascading movement, both as a physical phenomenon and as a metaphor for the flow of emotions, memory, and perception. This body of work reflects my ongoing interest in the interplay between structure and spontaneity, control and release.

The title, Kaskaden, evokes the image of waterfalls, torrents, and rhythmic flows, suggesting a sense of motion and transformation. These paintings are not direct depictions of such natural phenomena but abstract interpretations that draw on their energy and rhythm. Layers of paint—poured, brushed, and scraped—interact to create compositions that are both dense and translucent, revealing and concealing forms as the viewer engages with them.

In this series, I focus on the tension between the organic and the constructed. The works are structured around a foundation of geometric forms, which act as anchors amid the fluidity of more spontaneous gestures. This duality reflects the coexistence of order and chaos in both nature and human experience. The resulting compositions oscillate between solidity and ephemerality, inviting viewers to find their own equilibrium within the visual cascade.

Color plays a central role in Kaskaden. The palette is vibrant yet harmonious, with gradients and contrasts that evoke the shifting moods of water and light. Blues and greens dominate, alluding to natural elements, while accents of fiery orange or deep black introduce moments of intensity and grounding.

With Kaskaden, my aim is to create an immersive visual experience that resonates on an emotional and sensory level. Each painting acts as a microcosm of motion and change, capturing the fleeting yet profound beauty of transformation. I invite viewers to lose themselves in the layers of these works, finding their own rhythm and flow within the cascade.