About The Artist
Verena Brassel: Born 1948, Winterthur, living at Altstaetten, Switzerland
Education/practical training
- Three years vocational „ New Art School„ Zurich
- Continuing study at Small Art Academy „with renowned artistis“
Martin Iseli, Nicole Bottet, Irene Curiger, Gottfried Salzmann, Sane Sakamoto, Edith Schmid, Carolinie Sorger
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Some Art Projects and workshops since 1988:
. 2013 PHSG, (High School) Art Project, St. Gallen:“ Courageous People“.
. 2012 Anne - Frank - Schule Art Project, Eschwege, Germany:“ Courageous People“.
. 2015 Art project with confirmation class students and adults from the Protestant Church Community of Eschwege),
Eschwege, Germany 2 nd. Prize (jury Kassel Germany)
Various artworks of Verena Brassel are in public and private collections:
Exhibits in Switzerland and abroad:
2013 Exhibit Gallery Vienna
2013 Art-Project to PHSG, High School, St. Gallen, CH
2012 Exhibit Biennale Bozen I
2011 Group-Exhibit Museum of the Americas, Florida, USA, 1th. Prize
2011 Art-Project to Anne-Frank-School, D
2011 Exhibit Gallery Rosenhofraum, Wädenswil / / Zürich, CH
2010 Exhibit Art-fair, Gallery Bohmer, Rotterdam, NL
2010 Exhibit at Cityi Church and Anne-Frank School, Eschwege, D
2010 Exhibit Eule Art Gallery Davos, CH
2009 Exhibit Town-hall Kloten/ Zuerich, CH
2009 Exhibit Sarepta Bielefeld, D
2009 Venice Biennale, Italy through Gallery ARTURA Tel-Aviv , I
2008 Exhibit Bible Museum Tel-Aviv, Israel
2008 Exhibit Heichal Hatarbut Rishon, Israel
2008 Exhibit Jerusalem Theater, Israel
2006 Exhibit Eule Art Gallery, Davos, CH
2006 Exhibit Gallery Rosenhofraum 8820 Wädenswil, CH
2005 Exhibit Sarepta Bielefeld, D
2005 Exhibit Eule Art Gallery, Davos, CH
2005 Exhibit Breitenau Monastery/WWII Memorial, Guxhagen/ Kassel, D
2005 Exhibit Town-hall Zug, CH
2005 Art-Projekt to Church, Eschwege, D, 2 th. Prize
2004 Exhibit Markt Church, Eschwege, D
2004 Exhibit Canton Bank, St. Gallen, CH
2003 Exhibit Luther Church, Düsseldorf, D
2003 Exhibit Propstei St. Gerold, Austria
2003 EULE ART Gallery, Davos, CH
2002 Private commission, San Diego, USA
2001 Exhibit Einsiedeln Monastery, CH
2000 Exhibit Werkart Gallery, St. Gallen, CH
2000 Exhibit Konzil Konstanz, D
1999 Exhibit Town-hall Waaghaus, St. Gallen, CH
1998 Exhibit Kunstforum St. Gallen, CH
1998 Artist profile, Rheintal Television, CH
1997 Group Exhibit Vita Gallery, Bern, CH
1995 Exhibit Hall for Art, Gisela Krause, Winterthur, CH
1995 Group Exhibit Vita Gallery Bern, CH
1995 Exhibit Canton Bank St. Gallen, CH
1994 Group Exhibit Vita Gallery, Bern, CH
1993 Group Exhibit Vita Gallery, Bern, CH
In addition: Various Art Projects and Workshops
The Work:
"Twenty years ago, Swiss artist Verena Brassel made her first trip to Israel, an encounter that decisively influenced her work. She cites a visit to the “Shrine of the Book” in the Israel Museum’s archeological section and the dramatic landscape of the Negev Desert as defining experiences. Over the next two decades, as she delved deeply into Israel’s history and culture, Brassel also discovered her own artistic identity and visual language. Since she began painting, Brassel has turned her interest in history and the ancient cultures of the Orient and Asia into themes for her work. The quest for the ancient roots of mankind is her real motivation. Through many years of artistic and archeological investigation Brassel realized how tightly these civilizations were interwoven with the cultures of Europe, and thus her own culture.
Various trips have taken Brassel to the Orient, Morocco and India. She pores over historical relics and collects whatever she can, especially fragments of ancient scripts. These are usually copies that she first transfers to hand-made paper and then incorporates as collages into her work. Whenever possible, she has experts translate the script fragments. Brassel views her paintings as a meditation, of sorts, on the meaning of these texts. A number of script fragments have refused to give up their secrets; these are the ones that she finds herself almost mystically drawn to. Her abstract imagery and expressiveness refer to underlying, hidden meanings - messages from another realm and fragments of a reality that cannot be understood on a purely rational level.
The Artist:
Verena Brassel was born in Winterthur, Switzerland, and has lived for many years in Altstätten. In 1987 she started painting intensively, studying at a vocational art school and taking various courses with internationally renowned artists. Brassel developed her own expressive techniques, often employing earth, pigments, and various mixtures. Her paintings evoke timelessness, mystery, and transcendence.
From the beginning she was attracted by history and old cultures as well as the search for the roots of humankind. In 1990 she visited Israel for the first of many times. There she found endless manifestations of these themes.Of her exhibition at the Jerusalem Theatre and the Bible Museum in Tel Aviv in 2008, the curator of the Jerusalem Theatre wrote: “In your very special way you put together ideas, talent, materials and yourself. Your work is very brave, putting thoughts and feelings together.“
Brassel’s work has also been exhibited in countries other than her home country of Switzerland and her adopted country Israel. She has had shows in Germany, USA, Austria, Netherlands, and Italy.
In Germany she undertook a series of special projects. Her art project with students in Eschwege received second prize in a regional competition. Following a project with students and adults and her exhibition at the Breitenau Monastery and World War II Memorial in Guxhagen, the monastery purchased altar-paintings as well as paintings with historical scripts. At the Anne Frank Schule, Brassel explored the theme “Strong Personalities in Difficult Times” with a group of selected students.
In March 2011 the Museum of the Americas saluted Brassel with the Best in Show Award for “7 Artists from 7 Countries” held in Miami, Florida. In 2012
She was invited to exhibit at the Bozen Biennial.
For more information please contact: info@verena-brassel.ch or visit www.verena-brassel.ch "
Dr. Raul Qyela
