Matthias Jun Wilhelm (b. 1986 in Braunschweig) lives and works in Leipzig, Germany. The Reef series draws its inspiration from a simple, yet deeply resonant form – a rock rising above the surface of the sea. This motif first came to me over ten years ago, while working in a printmaking studio in Sweden. I spent many evenings by the sea, drawing with ink in a calligraphic manner, and it was during one of those evenings that I discovered that shape. I felt an immediate, strong connection to it – something about the simplicity and the natural elegance of the form was resonating with me.

Over time, the initial fragments evolved into a series of large-scale paintings, fueled by a new lightness and courage I was feeling. Different motifs began to melt into each-other and I introduced an abstracted landscape for the first time. What fascinates me about the structure of the Reef paintings is its versatility – it’s like an anchor in my work, yet it can be transformed endlessly. Through subtle shifts in color, atmosphere, and composition, each painting reflects a different mood, a different story.

The rock is not merely a landscape element; it’s a symbol that allows me to explore the tension between things – heaviness and lightness, stability and fluidity.