For me, art is a lifelong passion. It is a source of inspiration, a foundation of knowledge, an instigator of controversy and ultimately a form of free self-expression.

I took the opportunity to follow my passion and focus entirely on the arts. I studied art history, classical archaeology and art at the historic University of Heidelberg and at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois, USA. As a German-American, it was fascinating to learn from both societies with their very different but also similar characteristics. As an 80s kid, raised between two societies, I experienced conflicting views on key social issues, as well as the technical evolution from analogue to digital. This has deeply shaped me and my work: I move between continents, physical and digital worlds and the layers in between.

Currently based in Heidelberg, Germany, I mostly create mixed media art, using photographic, painting and sculptural elements as well as exploring the increasing facets of the digital realm. A central theme that resonates most with me in my artistic work across different media is the idea of multiple layers present in any environment and how they relate to one another, both material and immaterial. In the artistic process, this underlying multiplicity is explored through the combination of different media such as photography, painting, drawing, sculptural and digital elements, each of which is connected to the central subject in a unique way.

Chris Aysele. portrait of the artist