Tag: recreation
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Nature’s Calligraphy: The Art of Seeing
We see how we think. What occupies our mind directly shapes our vision. In this post, I share a series of photos of ducks and swans that document my artistic shift from visual abundance toward minimalism. By observing waterfowl in their natural environment, you can trace what was driving me at the exact moment I…
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Lang Lang in Vienna and Other Music Anecdotes
What happens when you go skinny-dipping in a Carinthian stream with jazz legend Don Cherry, or watch Friedrich Gulda attack an amplified clavichord with a knife and fork? This personal reflection looks back on a golden era of musical rebellion in 1970s Austria and offers some insights into the world of classical music, the avant-garde,…
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Afterthoughts on the Yunnan Journey
Reflecting on a 3,000 km journey through Yunnan, this article explores the fascinating contradictions between the present, high-tech innovation and ancient heritage. From the deep “eyes of the earth” in Jianshui to the coffee-scented hills of Pu’er, I share my personal observations on traveling as a guest in a land that is rapidly moving into…
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The $20,000 Flea Market Find
I usually don’t spend much time digging through dusty boxes at the local flea market. But last Sunday, a bizarre album cover caught my eye.
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Buddhas Light and Other Joy
Yuan Yang region is home to several ethnic minority groups, predominantly the Hani (哈尼族) and the Yi (彝族). They maintain their own distinct clothing, lifestyles, cuisine, and customs. But there is more….
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Customs, Traditions, and Religion
A look at the local customs and spiritual life along the Tea Horse Road. In this region, Buddhism, Daoism, and local folk beliefs merge seamlessly.
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South of the clouds
”South of the Clouds” is more than just a name; it describes a shift in perspective. Moving through Lushi, Lincang, and Nakeli, we follow the Ancient Tea Horse Road deeper into a landscape shaped by altitude and history.
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Lushi, Lincang, Nakeli
Moving through Lushi, Lincang, and Nakeli, we continue our journey along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Time and again, we discover remarkable landscapes that remain deeply connected to their history.
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Every Day an Adventure, Every Day a Joy
Yunnan Spring Greetings (IV) “Every day an adventure, every day a joy.” It might sound a bit cliché, but here, one experience really does chase the next. We actually cancelled our planned trip to Mangshi (芒市) because Heshun and its surroundings simply have too much to offer. A couple we are friends with drove all the…
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Pure Dao – Shi Dong Si 石洞寺
I recently visited Shi Dong Si (石洞寺Stone Cave Temple), a place that feels almost suspended in time. It’s not just the architecture—the curved eaves and the weathered stone bridge—but the atmosphere.
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Density, Depth, Tradition, and Authenticity.
Yunnan Spring greetings (III) Density, Depth, Tradition, and Authenticity: Ever since my very first experiences in China back in 1978, these four concepts have been inextricably linked with my understanding of the country and its culture. So let’s first turn our gaze to a place that embodies all these qualities in a truly venerable way:…
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Just Shaxi and Fengyu. Yunnan Spring Greetings (II)
Journey to Shaxi (沙溪) On the way from Dali to Shaxi, we passed through Fengyu (凤羽). It’s a quiet, traditional town, famous for its intricate stone carvings and inkstones. A good place to see the rural side of Yunnan before entering the Shaxi valley. Authentic Flavors We had lunch there and the restaurant was simple…
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Spring greetings from Yunnan 云南 (I) #WordlessWednesday
A selection of photos from Kunming, China. This post is part of the #WordlessWednesday series, prioritizing visual impressions over text.
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Before I Gotta Go: Minimalism, Dreams and Surreal Ink Painting
“Before I gotta go…” is an article about a new series on dreams, marking a deliberate departure from minimalism in favor of abstract depth. It introduces the concept of the “Oneiric Divide”—visualizing not the story of a dream, but the raw energy it leaves behind—and offers a glimpse into my upcoming dialogue on “Dot and…
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Don’t let the old man in
Don’t let the old man in is more than just a song title; it is a directive for maintaining an open spirit against bitterness. This article explores that mindset by contrasting striking political imagery with the artistic independence of my 2025 Yearbook, proving that staying young is a matter of attitude, not age.
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Winter Greetings,
Despite my well-known dislike for winter, I’ve been persuaded on a few trips and was always captivated by the profound stillness and light of the season. Encouraged by the response to my autumn post, here are a few winter impressions from Austria.
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Autumn Greetings,
This article explores autumn destinations near Vienna that are rich with the stories of historical figures. We trace the steps of the Habsburgs, visiting Empress Sisi’s and Emperor Franz Joseph’s favorite retreats in Laxenburg and the Vienna Woods. The journey also leads us to the Wachau Valley to recount the dramatic tale of King Richard…
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Tao and Zen again: Applying Eastern Philosophy to Contemporary Ink Painting
Tao and Zen, along with minimalism, became my focus during a forced pause due to illness. This short article shares how fever dreams led to abstract works that explore the tension between Yin and Yang—an attempt to artistically grasp our world, which has been thrown off balance.
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Autumn Reflections
Autumn Reflections explores the connection between poetry, calligraphy, and painting through a series of original semi-haiku.
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The Abundance of Modesty
Delving into Daoist philosophy and the pictographic wisdom of Chinese calligraphy, this article unpacks the ancient proverb that “Modesty Brings Abundance” (謙受益). Grounding this profound concept in personal experiences, the author reflects on how the humility of an “empty vessel” allows one to receive a true overflow of friendship, knowledge, and spiritual wealth.
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Cracks in the Silence
A deep dive into the La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival under the theme ‘One Planet, Many Perspectives.’ This review journeys from the rituals of Papua New Guinea to the paradoxes of modern development, exploring powerful photography that confronts our world’s greatest challenges and finds a path to understanding, mindfulness, and ultimately, hope.
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One planet, many perspectives
A deep dive into the La Gacilly-Baden Photo Festival under the theme ‘One Planet, Many Perspectives.’ This review journeys from the rituals of Papua New Guinea to the paradoxes of modern development, exploring powerful photography that confronts our world’s greatest challenges and finds a path to understanding, mindfulness, and ultimately, hope.
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Would You buy a used Car from this Man?
“Would you buy a used car from this man?” This isn’t just a provocative question; it’s the title of what is likely my first, and probably last, article focusing on political topics. Breaking my own blog’s golden rule, I dive deep into the unsettling power of images and words, and how they actively sculpt new…
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Nothingness in Color
Nothingness in Color continues the thought experiment that began with the journey to the Zen master—evolving beyond monochrome, embracing color, and preserving the essence of minimalism
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The Gift of the Green Snake
The Gift of the Green Snake is an article about an unexpected gift and the resulting images.
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Goodbye to the Winter
Explore the artist’s journey from winter’s darkness to spring’s light through abstract paintings. Learn how black paper challenges traditional Chinese painting concepts.
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Depression: A Journey Through the Long Winter.
Depression: A long winter is behind me. It felt endless, stretching on and on. While snowfall isn’t guaranteed every year, one thing I can count on is my winter depression. Let’s take a closer look at some works from this long winter.
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When Things Go Wrong.
When Things Go Wrong, they can go very wrong. After many years without serious problems, I experienced this first-hand.
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Every Picture Tells a Story
Every Picture Tells a Story. Let’s dive into the rich tapestry of Chinese minority people, captured in photographs from the hinterlands of northeast China, specifically Qinghai and the border area with Tibet, taken between 1979 and 1982.
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The Dao of Annual Planning in 2024
New Year’s Resolutions and Implementation Annual Planning and Dao: Today’s article focuses on a personal topic that I hope my valued readers can benefit from. It also includes reflections on topics such as SEO and AI, which were cut off during the year and are now revisited at the end of the year. When discussing…
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Merry Fir Tree
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You and Your Loved Ones!
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Discovering the Beauty in the Ugly
Exploring Aesthetic Sensibilities Through Photography. Discovering the Beauty in the Ugly – or at least discover something attractive in the ugly: In our last article, we delved into the concept of wabi-sabi and I shared some of my work. Thanks for the positive feedback! Today, we will go a step beyond wabi-sabi, using photos from…
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Wabi Sabi and the Aesthetics of Imperfection
Wabi Sabi, a term relatively unknown in the West until recently, holds a special place in my heart. This article reflects my personal approach to Wabi Sabi, illustrated with my own works painted this year.
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Blind Drawings: Artistic Expression in Darkness
The Blind Drawings series is an experimental collection of over 20 charcoal works, mainly depicting female nudes. This series reflects my exploration into how sensory limitations impact artistic expression.
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Andy Warhol, a Corpse, Opium, and a Botched Tribunal
“Andy Warhol, A Corpse in the Water, opium and a Botched Tribunal” – sounds like clickbait. And yet, as always, it’s all true.
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The Silk Road: Personal Reflections
The Silk Road: From a young age, I was fascinated by distant countries, with Asia and the Orient capturing my imagination the most.
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When you live in the most livable city in the world
Living in the world’s most livable city might sound surprising coming from me. Don’t worry, I haven’t switched to advertising, nor am I trying to become a tour guide as my fourth career.
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Emptiness, Space, and Depth
Emptiness, Space, and Depth: The Spring Collection. Selection of recent Artworks. Studies, sketches, paintings.
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break on through
The Doors, known for capturing exploration and the human desire to uncover the unknown in their music, embody the theme of breaking through to ‘the other side’. The 1970s era of experimentation with mind-altering substances, influenced by psychedelic art, has shaped graphic design. The artist, recently participating in exhibitions in London and Sao Paulo, reflects…
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Delving into the Realm of Seals on Artwork
Article about the fascinating world of Chinese seals. From a carver and collector. And above all, an enthusiast.
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Selection of New Works
Selection of new works: A small selection of recent works in different techniques.
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Petra and Sharm El Sheikh Trip
A trip to Petra and The Treasury of the Pharaoh, gorges, some desert and sea.
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Between Calligraphy and Painting
Who Sows Calligraphy will Reap Paintings. Between Calligraphy and Painting: In order not to get too boring, this article will be the last one for some time in which calligraphy sets the tone. We have already heard quite a bit about this high-quality art form by now. A few more aspects will be addressed today…
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Birthday present from Confucius and
one of the best love poems. Birthday present from Confucius: So I’m 70 years old now. So what?! Really – so what? How should I react? Emotional? Annoy me that I’m an old fart now? But I was an old fart last year too – and the year before. Don’t even think about it? This…
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About being happy – reflections and thoughts.
About being happy through the centuries. About being happy was not planned as a topic. But I promised a co-blogger, M, whose work I particularly admire, that I would write a few thoughts on the topic of being happy. Which of course can be seen as arrogance and I would therefore like to apologize for…
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2024 How do you set it up?
2024 – to defy or embrace? When I say that I welcome the New Year optimistic Daoistic, it may sound surprising given the world situation.
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new yearbook is out
surprising stats and tensions. New yearbook is out. To keep things interesting, this blog article comes with two extras. I’ll start with the extras first, and for some reason, the main text will come at the end. Contrary to my previous habits, the main text takes up a few thoughts on current events. These days,…
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Wu Wei a Key Term. Daoist Talks (X)
Chinese Painting and Wu Wei. Wu Wei is a key concept in Daoism. It is an idea that originated in ancient Chinese philosophy and is of central importance to Daoism. However, the term is not always easy to understand, at least for Westerners. But understanding it can help us in many ways, not only in…
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day dream job
and some remarks. Day dream job: Little boys, especially those of preschool age, often aspire to become firefighters or police officers. However, I’m not sure about girls’ future career aspirations. I’m also not sure what my vision was as a 5-year-old. Probably a demolitionist, since my father was one at the time. When I came…
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Between Here and There
and the Fever-night-creeper between here and there: The topic of this post first came about in reflection on dreams and waking up. One could consider “Here” as the normal state and “There” as the dream world. When we awaken, we are still surrounded by fragments of dreams, and we are between “There” and “Here.” Where…
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between cold and heat
We have an old joke: “Should you take medication if you have a cold?” “Absolutely! If you don’t take any, it will take 7 days until you get well again. If you take some, you’ll be back on your feet after 1 week.” Well, it took me more than 2 weeks to stay in bed…
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and the beat goes on
recent artworks. recent artworks: It’s not that there’s nothing to tell, nor that I don’t have enough new pictures to show, but I’m quite busy with a few projects. These projects require a lot of time and attention, so I’ll be posting less frequently in the near future. As someone who writes posts here, you…
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Another new morning for the same old sod
As I wrote in my last post, I treated myself to a 3-week spa stay. Well, a vintage car will no longer become a racing car. But a refurbished classic car also has its appeal, it is said.
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What game shall we play today?
About knowing and believing. Quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger: “Sciences are good at measuring something, but cannot say anything about our being”.
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Cucumber cutting, abstracting and –
A few quick notes on our world of perception, from slicing cucumbers to the feeling of diving. And about abstraction itself.
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Something totally different: My new Friend Bing Chat
Something totally different: In various conversations, in social media, and also here on wordpress, I very often see a negative attitude towards ChatGpd and Bing Chat.
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Two Links – TV Portrait and Dao Index
Two links: I recently posted that a portrait of me would be shown on a Chinese and Austrian TV channel. It was broadcast on May 27th in Austria and May 30th in China.
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Interview for TV and Stream
Interview for TV and Stream: Earlier in the week I had a TV crew over at my house. A portrait was shot of me, which will be broadcast on Chinese television and on the streaming service.
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I promised you the sky
In my penultimate post of photos with stones and sand from my last trip to Egypt, I promised to also show the sky. And so the chapter on Egypt comes to a close. As reported, I had the chance to take master classes with the greatest artist of all time: Mother Nature.
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The Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings: Showing photos of Luxor & Co, especially Panorama or the well-known murals, doesn’t make much sense. I would therefore like to show a few detailed shots that are less well-known or that are easily overlooked.
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Back from Egypt trip – stones and sands
My Egypt trip came to an end. Here is a small selection of a series of photos taken by the sea in Hurghada and area. Stones and sand were the focus.
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The children’s book of my last post
The children’s book of my last post is not a project in progress, it’s just a play around. If you want to play, play with us! Now that I have started with the topic and my last post on it received such positive feedback, I would like to write a little more about it. Thanks…
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Criticism: Not amused with the Emperor
A few criticism examples by Chinese artists over time. Most of my blog posts deal directly or indirectly with art in the broadest sense. This is insofar as I attach great importance to dealing with Asian philosophies and art history in the broadest sense. I don’t touch on political issues, although this post might suggest…
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About Jack
About Jack: Our generation is part of so many new developments and we take many things for granted. And yet I am always enthusiastic about the opportunities that are given to us and what often results from them. And so today I would like to tell you about my friend Jack.
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gone they are
Depression: I would like to take up a topic again today and I promise it will be the last time – for this year. I recently wrote about my winter blues – and they’re gone! Hopefully sustainable.
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Getting rid of the Blues…..
Since my work is very much influenced by ideas from Chinese calligraphy, I wanted to try again to approach things in a more “western” way.
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Winter is here – with its gifts
Even if it’s difficult to predict something these days and even if a lot doesn’t last: my winter depressions are as certain as the back taxes. Nearly. The tax-back payment is more reliable in terms of time.
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Merry – what, actually?
Merry – what, actually? Enjoy your holidays!
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explanation and summary of #WordlessWednesday
Explanation and summary of #WordlessWednesday: I came across this initiative about half a year ago and although I don’t usually take part in any activities of this kind, this time it appealed to me.
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goodbye #WordlessWednesday
With this last photo of the Wordless Wednesday Project, I would like to thank everyone who has followed this series and, of course, I would especially like to thank you for the numerous feedback and likes.
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black and white. more fish #WordlessWednesday
Black and white. More fish: A fisherman from Negombo points to his dried fish
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the big catch #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
The big catch. Dedicated to the participants of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Photo for #WordlessWednesday
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busy painting the future #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
busy painting the future. huge wall painting, beijing, china . photo for #WordlessWednesday
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belated halloween #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
basement window in the streets of verona, italy 2014. photo for #WordlessWednesday
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soft drink delivery #WordlessWednesday
soft drink delivery in the medina of fez, morocco. photo for #WorlessWednesday
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standpoint and point of view #WordlessWednesday
A standpoint as point of view. Wien, Liesing 2022. Photo for #WordlessWednesday
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When stars were born – in my club
Posting about the time when stars like Falco frequented my studio.
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alternative to #WordlessWednesday
Silly old news from The United Kimdon ®: In times like these, we all need something to cheer us up and nothing is better than the unvarnished reality, away from political correctness. Alternative to #WorlessWednesday
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On special request: more Morocco
Morocco trip, photos and report about Fes, the Atlas Mountains and Chefchaouen
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Back from Morocco
Fés – Atlas – Chefchaouen Fez and Chefchaouen If I work a lot, but the result is less and less, that is usually an unmistakable sign that I need a vacation. And this I did now. First I thought of Italy or Greece but that’s too dangerous. Both countries are known for their good wines…
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not much to see #WordlessWednesday
not much to see. photo of a river scene for ‘WorlessWednesday
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one of those… #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
It must be one of those black wires. Photo from Vietnam, Hanoi for #WordlessWednesday
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the blind musician #WordlessWednesday
The blind musician. Foto for #WordlessWdenesday. Tianjin, China, 1979.
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curry restaurant kitchen #WordlessWednesday
The kitchen of an amon and curry restaurant in nowhere land, North of Dambulla. Even if the picture doesn’t look inviting, the curries are the finest.
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wien, the capital of music #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
Vienna, the capital of music, where even the horses jam too. snapshot for #WordlessWednesday by © friedrich zettl
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yes, no coffee today. #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
Yes, we have no coffee today. A Shanghai Starbucks coffeeshop as a failed business. A photo for #WordlessWednesday
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fish and chips #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
Fish and chips Asian style. Negombo, Sri Lanka 2016. Photo for “WordlessWednesday”
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siem reap heartbreakers #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
missing those heartbreakers from siem reap
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electricity buddha #WordlessWednesday #snapshot
a little buddha protects the power supply in sri lanka
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retrieval by nature #WordlessWednesday
Retrieval by nature. Ta Prom, not far from the area where Francis Ford Coppola shot scenes for Apocalypse Now.