Bärtschi Reto
1971, Schweiz
Eisenplastiker, Maler
«... Dass das Leben denn auch selten direkt und gradlinig verläuft, sondern sich auf verschlungenen Wegen entwickelt, bringt die Stahlskulptur zur Darstellung ...»
“Sunna des Mohn“ (“Sun of the Poppy”), 2005, is the title of the iron sculpture created by the artist Reto Bärtischi from Langenthal; the piece is on the property belonging to the St. Urban Abbey Church near the daycare centre. In “Bührer Traktorrot“ (“Bührer Tractor Red) by Bärtschi, we encounter a steel pipe that has been stove-enamelled and shaped with a great deal of verve so that it evokes associations to something organic. The title (Sun of the Poppy) confirms this assumption. The form of the sculpture depicts the growth of the poppy flower that grows toward the sun to dance around it, unlike the sunflower that stretches upright directly toward the sun.
Reto Bärtschi, sculptor working in iron, farmer and Schang Hutter’s assistant has his own visual language to help him express aspects of the human condition. A simple circular form with a wavy line symbolizes the human being. Characterized by specific head shapes, kings, princesses, jugglers, farmers and devils are the “personnel” who embody the various kinds of human behaviour. This steel sculpture represents the concept that life is seldom a direct and straight path, but develops instead in a labyrinthine way. It is a metaphor for how humanity is always “en route” .
Kathrin Frauenfelder, art historian, Zürich, Switzerland
