Artwork
Pulfer, Reto - Malerei, Puma Aha
Pulfer, Reto - Malerei, Puma Aha is an unspecified painting by Reto Pulfer. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Archaeology and Museum Baselland.
About this work
Overview
Reto Pulfer’s 2009 work titled “Malerei, Puma Aha” is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The piece presents a rectangular fabric surface edged with a dark border, over which vivid paint accumulations create a dynamic, seemingly spontaneous composition.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork foregrounds the interaction between material and pigment, allowing the fabric’s texture to remain visible beneath the layered splashes. The juxtaposition of bright hues—predominantly purples, yellows, blues, with touches of green and pink—suggests a playful tension between order and chance, inviting viewers to consider the boundaries of painting as surface and object.
Technique & Style
Pulfer applied the paint by hand, allowing droplets to drip and merge with the underlying cloth. The uneven, gestural application yields a rough, tactile surface where the fabric’s weave emerges through the color fields. This approach aligns with contemporary practices that emphasize process, materiality, and the physicality of the painted surface.
History & Provenance
Created in 2009, “Malerei, Puma Aha” entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings shortly after its completion, where it remains on display. The museum’s acquisition reflects its interest in works that explore cultural artifacts and contemporary reinterpretations of traditional materials.
Artist & collection
Artist
Reto Pulfer’s paintings mix geometric shapes with bold colors in a way that feels both orderly and playful.
