Description of technique „Décalcage“

Georg Gaigl creates his very own and characteristic kind of art. He himself calls it Décalcage. The term and the technique follow Max Ernst’s Décalcomania., i.e. the casting of his backgrounds.

George Gaigl’s pictures arise from a long process: He works on fragments of magazine pictures or photos from the flea market that are already waste products of our media society and testify consumption and transience. He also uses video stills or other digital pictures, e.g. from the inexhaustible source of the internet. He scans them and then with computer joins these patterns together to create a new picture. The computer prints are now reversely pasted on wooden boards. In the following and most important step, the paper layers are being rubbed off for days. In this way, rips, holes and white spots are caused by chance.

Beholding his work these familiar fragments and colours touch our deep emotions: The artist allows us to associate the picture with our personal, intimate memories. (...)