THRESHOLDS
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
60 X 50 CM // 50 X 40 CM
2026
The series THRESHOLDS by Florian Nährer moves within the field of tension between spiritual image traditions and contemporary geometric abstraction. The starting point of his work is the centuries-old concept of the icon as a carrier of transcendence and spiritual presence. Unlike traditional icon painting, however, Nährer does not seek to create a faithful reproduction. Instead, he follows the opposite path: he detaches the traditional sacred image from its figurative framework and transfers its spiritual essence into an abstract, contemporary visual language.
In place of religious narratives, pure, radiant colours and clearly defined geometric forms emerge. Overlapping curves, softly guided edges, and precisely positioned fields of colour create compositions that appear both constructed and meditative. In their formal rigor, the works recall the principles of Hard-Edge painting, while simultaneously developing an independent spiritual dimension. Nährer’s paintings do not seek to depict the visible world, but rather to open “windows into another reality.”
A particularly striking aspect of his work is the luminosity of his colour palette. Turquoise, pink, yellow, red, or deep violet appear with an intensity that creates an immediate emotional impact. This deliberate use of pure colour generates an atmosphere oscillating between calm, contemplation, and visual energy. In Nährer’s work, colour is not a decorative element, but an autonomous carrier of meaning. Through the reduction to geometric basic forms, a new form of the icon emerges: dematerialised, abstracted, and at the same time endowed with a powerful sensory presence.
The artist explores the question of whether the spiritual force of an image can be preserved within an abstract form. While traditional icons derive their sacred authority through exact repetition and adherence to established models, Nährer searches for a contemporary translation of this principle. His painting rejects reproduction and instead embraces internalisation, reduction, and intuitive composition. The result is a series of visual spaces that do not primarily narrate, but rather generate states of being: silence, concentration, and spiritual openness.
Formally, the works oscillate between order and freedom. The clear geometric structures convey stability and harmony, while traces of the painting process remain visible. Subtle irregularities, transitions, and overlaps lend the works an organic vitality. It is precisely within this interplay between precision and imperfection that the unique tension of Nährer’s series unfolds.
Nährer’s works demonstrate that abstract painting can be more than a formal investigation. They represent a contemporary attempt to make spiritual experience and inner imagery visible.
C 2026