Pascal Fessler

Swiss-Italian conceptual artist Pascal Fessler creates softly immersive ink works of cityscapes and nude models in tones of black, gray and white. A recent series portrays gravity-defying urban topographies that double as memoirs of life in the city. The artist plays with his color-blindness, occasionally marking his austere black and white compositions with bright, comical nods to the world of color. Tapping his familiarity with New York (where he was raised before returning to his native Geneva), Fessler creates impressionistic snapshots of urban life by mixing sky-high panoramas and street-level details.

In opposition to his ongoing homage to the jarring fascination and alienation provoked by the postmodern city, Fessler’s nudes feature an enveloping sense of contemplative calm. This mood lets details of form and texture emerge slowly from the borders between black and white, where many of his high-contrast images gain their striking visual character. Shifting scales and sensibilities, Fessler’s works convey volumes of psychological depth and personal texture.