Martin Zemp

In Martin Zemp’s studio, abstract portraits are created in acrylic on canvas. The expressive faces captivate through skillfully chosen color combinations—sometimes vibrant, sometimes reduced in color. Zemp’s works have dimensions of up to two by two meters. “With large paintings, I can put in more power and tempo. I can only do that when I have sufficient space for it,” says Martin Zemp. When he sets his sights on a new motif, he takes a canvas roll and starts painting. How large the painting will ultimately be, he only knows after completion. That is, when he cuts it to the actual format. Likewise, he does not have the finished work in mind at the beginning. Martin Zemp paints intuitively and always to music, which he selects according to his mood. Spending days on a single work is not his thing. “The art lies in finding the right moment to stop.” Even as a boy, he constantly reached for pen and paper and drew people. That what he drew was already more than just scribbles back then is a gift for which Zemp is grateful every day. As a young man, he attended art school and evening courses to satisfy his hunger for even more knowledge about art. In his “mature” art, it is about women. “They inspire me, are strong and gentle at the same time, sensual and graceful.”