Born in 1951 in Dernbach, West Germany, Jurgen Gorg has established himself as a master craftsman and consummate artist. His etchings and lithographs reflect his innate talent and imagination. He studied visual arts first, in Koblenz, Germany and later, at the Johannes-Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. Gorg began his professional career in 1977 as an artist and printmaker and by 1980, was awarded a special painting prize by the district of Rheinland-Pfalz. In 1985, a catalog raisonne was published of Gorg's creations.
Gorg's work follows a strong tradition of figurative art with erotic overtones. He interprets his subject matter loosely, keeping his figures open and emphasizing motion through line and contour. A foreword in a book on Gorg's work captures his artistic sensibility: "The predominant subject is the human body: it is the body of a young, slim, beautiful person. The face remains vague, the gestures are those of free motion. Everything concentrates on the body language and the erotic radiation of the figures."
His artistic universe consists of lovers, dancers, musicians and masked personages. Tender, lithe, slim, and young, these idealized, incompletely rendered figures suggest the timeless and eternal. An elusive quality is cultivated by Gorg who feels that "something should always remain open."
The focus centers on body language and kinetic movement. By leaving the faces vague, with eyes almost always closed, there is room for dreaming - both in the viewer and within the subjects of the painting. This quality of the somewhat indefinite yet perfect form creates a romantic aura.
In his work, Gorg explores relationships. A sense of intimacy prevails, yet the viewer is unsure of the precise nature of that intimacy. The perfect bodies suggest a relaxedsensuality. The recurrance of the mask suggest that Gorg is exploring the nature of love and illusion, life as a masquerade or as a continual journey of transformation.
Gorg employs a monochromatic palette, applying soft colour with graphite combined with translucent layers of oil paint. He focuses the viewer's eye through his subtle use of white highlights and sparse bright colour. The viewer is caught in the melodic flow of Gorg's delicate and sensual lines and shapes. Space is explored, filled and accentuated with a lyrical fluidity.
