Papillon

Richard Drews - Papillon Galerie Schindler | Solo Exhibition With "Papillon," Galerie Schindler is proud to present the first major solo exhibition by Berlin-based artist Richard Drews. Following his highly acclaimed debut in the group exhibition DIVERSE, this showcase focuses entirely on Drews’ profound exploration of transformation, impermanence, and the beauty of the present moment. The title "Papillon" (French for butterfly) serves as the central leitmotif of the exhibition. For Drews, the caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly is a powerful allegory for the human condition: to grow and reinvent ourselves, we must let go of old parts of who we are and accept painful fractures. His works function as a modern memento mori but instead of plunging the viewer into melancholy, they serve as a radical, life-affirming call to presence. This conceptual depth is perfectly mirrored in Drews' masterful technical practice. As a self-taught artist, he completely reimagines the traditional glazing technique of the Old Masters. In a meditative, time-intensive process, he layers four to ten ultra-thin, transparent coatings of oil paint on canvas. Light penetrates deep into these layers and reflects off the canvas ground. This creates artworks of extraordinary internal luminescence and three-dimensional depth that shift dynamically depending on the viewer's angle and the ambient light. "Papillon" is an invitation to pause and mindfully experience the precious, limited time of our lives - before the moment flies away.