Frozen Gesture

: Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland

The brushstroke has long been more than a formal element—it is an expression of the artist’s inner world. While the Abstract Expressionists elevated it to a defining principle, artists like Roy Lichtenstein challenged its sanctity with ironic critique. His frozen brushstrokes, inspired by comics, exposed the constructed nature of artistic gestures.

Since then, artists have continually reinterpreted the brushstroke—parodying, analyzing, and reinventing it. From Gerhard Richter’s squeegee technique to Robert Janitz’s broad commercial brushes and Christine Streuli’s digital transformations, contemporary painters question tradition while pushing the medium forward. Their work proves that painting remains as vibrant and evolving as ever.