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until 11.07. | #5083ARTatBerlin | Galerie Schindler shows from Thursday, 4. June 2026 the exhibition PAPILLON by the artist Richard Drews.
Richard Drews (b. 1997, Leipzig) is a contemporary German painter whose evocative, luminous oil works explore the delicate intersections of human emotion, impermanence, and transformation. Having spent a childhood defined by frequent relocations, Drews developed an acute sensitivity to the fleeting nature of environments, memories, and identity at an early age. This nomadic formative experience eventually led him to a global exploration of space and culture, living and working in international cultural hubs including Tokyo, London, and Paris, before establishing his permanent studio in Berlin over a decade ago.
Richard Drews, Der Morgen, 50×60 cm, Oil on canvas, 2026
As an entirely self-taught artist, Drews’ practice is free from the rigid constraints of institutional academia. For the past seven years, he has dedicated himself to mastering the complex chemistry and historic allure of oil painting on canvas. His outsider status serves as a profound strength: it allows him an uninhibited, highly intuitive relationship with his materials, blending traditional craftsmanship with a distinctly modern, existential artistic voice. Following his inclusion in Galerie Schindler’s acclaimed winter group exhibition, DIVERSE, Drews stands as one of the gallery’s most compelling new contemporary positions.
Richard Drews, Fliegen oder Fallen, 150×90 cm, Oil on canvas, 2025
Artistic Practice & Technique
At the core of Drews’ oeuvre is a contemporary, highly personal reinterpretation of the historic glazing technique (Lasurtechnik)—a demanding, time-intensive method traditionally championed by Old Masters. Eschewing the immediate gratification of opaque, alla prima painting, Drews constructs his compositions through a meticulous, meditative process of stratification.
Richard Drews, Kopf oder Zahl, 110×130 cm, Oil on canvas, 2026
Each piece is composed of anywhere from four to ten individual layers of ultra-thin, highly transparent oil paint. By layering wet-on-dry applications, the artwork is built slow-matured over time. Rather than relying on surface-level pigments, the physical magic of Drews’ work relies on light passing through these multiple transparent skins to reflect off the canvas base. The result is a striking aesthetic hallmark: an extraordinary internal luminescence, an almost infinite depth of color, and a shifting, three-dimensional spatial quality that changes dramatically depending on the viewer’s vantage point and the ambient light.
Richard Drews, Rosa Wolke, 50×70 cm, Oil on canvas, 2025
Conceptual Statement & Philosophy
Drews’ technical obsession with transparency and layering mirrors his profound philosophical fascination with the ephemeral nature of human existence. Centered heavily on the motif of the butterfly, his work acts as a poetic memento mori tailored for modern life.
For Drews, the radical metamorphosis of a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly serves as a poignant allegory for the human condition. Growth and renewal are fundamentally linked to destruction; to evolve, we must endure the painful process of losing parts of our old selves. His canvases capture these psychological fractures—not as moments of defeat, but as beautiful, necessary markers that shape who we are.
Richard Drews, Verwoben, 170×120 cm, Oil on canvas, 2026
Accepting the certainty of death and transience is not an act of nihilism in Drews’ universe; rather, it is a catalyst for radical presence. His paintings urge the viewer to confront the precious, limited nature of time, to embrace change, and to boldly claim our single chance to love, feel, and heal. Through the brilliant glow of his multi-layered canvases, Drews reminds us of the beautiful urgency of life: to fully capture the moment before it flies away.
Opening: Thursday, 4. June 2026, 7:00 pm
Exhibition dates: Thursday, 4. June – Saturday, 11. July 2026
Titel image caption: Richard Drews I DIE WÄCHTERIN I Oil on canvas I 170 x 180cm I 2026
Exhibition Richard Drews – Galerie Schindler | Zeitgenössische Kunst in Berlin | Contemporary Art | Exhibitions Potsdam Berlin Galleries | ART at Berlin
