Oliver Erb
The Valley
Kemptpark 12
8310 Kemptthal
Mentally I live and was born in Winterthur.
My heart lives somewhere near the sea.
As a realist I am an architect.
As a dreamer I am a painter.
Oliver Erb (Winterthur 1970) started painting some years ago after a life devoted to architecture. His works were first published in 2023 in the book «Dreams of a Realist,» which documents his artistic development. In 2024, his first comprehensive retrospective, «Through Difficulties to the Stars,» followed, which showcased his paintings in a major exhibition.
He creates figurative and realistic paintings that skillfully draw on the tradition of representational painting. His works are characterized by street scenes which he translates from photographs, thereby establishing a multifaceted connection between aesthetics and the social. The photographic element is just one component of his overall artistic system. Rather, Erb demonstrates a conscious decision to use grids to selectively transfer the photographic images onto the canvas.
At first glance, his works captivate with their opulent, intense use of color, reminiscent of digitally manipulated images. Through the deliberate manipulation of color intensity, Erb creates dream-like, surreal aesthetics that blur the line between realistic depiction and artistic imagination. This technique generates a tension between utopian and nostalgic elements, between idyll and expressiveness.
The motifs reflect a series of sensual experiences, most of them in Northern Italy. „ I absolutely wanted to paint and personally interpret these image compositions based on the encounter and the motif. The paintings show people and places to which I have an intense connection and where I feel comfortable and safe.“
Alongside his artistic practice, he remains connected to architecture and building culture. Erb is founder and co-owner of BDE Architects and responsible for building design. He is a member of SIA and BSA and is co-author of over 150 competition projects.
Oliver Erb lives with his family in Winterthur and Sanremo, Italy
And finally, I just tried with that what I knew and learned,
whether in architecture or painting, to create a beautiful story.