Artist talk
Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 3:00 PM
Artist-Led Tour with Andreas Maier
Andreas Maier is one of three artists featured in the group exhibition “In the Golden Glow – Japanese Tradition Meets Western Modernity.” Based in Berlin, the artist has devoted himself to painting for around two decades, combining an exceptionally precise observation of nature with traditional craftsmanship and a distinctive contemporary visual language.
Maier studied veterinary medicine and initially worked in his trained profession. His scientific study of animals and his detailed knowledge of anatomy and zoology continue to shape his artistic perspective to this day. The observation of nature and its diverse forms became a central starting point for his painting.
For approximately 20 years, Maier has worked as a freelance artist. His work focuses particularly on animals, plants, fish, birds, and insects. His naturalistic depictions are combined with a strong sense of decorative impact and a particular fascination with color, surface, and light.
Nature on Gold
A defining characteristic of Maier’s work is the combination of detailed depictions of nature with gold leaf. His motifs appear against luminous golden backgrounds, giving them a remarkable intensity. Gold is not merely used as a precious material, but as an essential element of the overall visual effect.
Maier works with materials including wood, metal leaf, and acrylic. His process involves carefully preparing and priming the surface, applying the gold leaf, and then developing the motifs through painting. By combining realistically rendered animals and plants with reflective metallic surfaces, he creates works that exist between scientific precision and poetic transformation.
He is particularly known for his depictions of fish, butterflies, and other animals, as well as his elaborately crafted folding screens. Large-scale wall works and objects are also part of his artistic practice. Many of his works can be found in private and public collections as well as sophisticated interior spaces.
Japanese Influences
The combination of natural imagery, gold, and decorative art repeatedly points to Japanese artistic traditions in Maier’s work. This is particularly evident in his folding screens and his depictions of koi, plants, and other motifs from nature. A visit to a Japanese garden in San Francisco, for example, inspired him to create his first works featuring koi on gilded folding screens.
His work thus creates a compelling dialogue between his scientifically trained observation of nature, the traditional technique of gilding, and aesthetic influences from Japanese art.
Personal Tour with the Artist
During the tour on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 3:00 PM, Andreas Maier will offer personal insights into his work and artistic development. He will discuss the materials and techniques he uses and explore the particular significance of nature, gold, and light in his work.
The tour offers visitors the opportunity to experience the exhibition from the immediate perspective of one of the participating artists and to learn more about the creation of his extraordinary depictions of nature.
The exhibition “In the Golden Glow – Japanese Tradition Meets Western Modernity” is on view at Museum DKM through September 30, 2026.