1939 (born in Worms, Germany) - † 9.8.2008 

Kissel takes up the primary position of unconditional painting – of the dominance of colours, of massive outlines and most of all of a highly sensual application of colour. He does so, whenever he applies the material with his thumb in situations where even his always swift stroke of the brush or his use of the spatula seems to leave too much distance, such as when it is vital to transfer a pair of lips from the model directly into the painting. 

Another aspect of his preferred interpretation is the intensity of complementary contrasts of adjoining surfaces of equivalent colours. Bright red – which Kissel likes to choose as the basic colour – he applies just like drapery, underlining the carnal presence of skin. He reserves the use of close colours to the physical presence of bodies, thereby demanding utmost awareness from the viewer. His use of facials with emphasized make-up seems to lead to a typical representation of the feminine gender, while leaving any freedom of expression to apply a typical and individual characterization based upon his own decision. 

Naturally, Gernot Kissel is also a great painter of floral motives and landscapes, which he interprets with the same methods as described before.Instead, he combines a painter’s view of objects and ambience with the reduced use of expressional styles typical of modern painting.

Prof. Dr. Helge Bathelt, M.A