AWAKE
A new painting of Ötzi
The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology recently acquired a new painting called “AWAKE” by the young South Tyrolean artist Raphael Mur. Mur personally brought it to the museum where he presented it to the director Angelika Fleckinger.
Raphael Mur (born in 1992) spent his academic years at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and as a master painter with artists in Germany and Italy. Among other things, the themes of his work include spiritual beings from South Tyrolean mythology which are always present and appear where questions arise, where doubt, unresolved problems, or burning issues come to the surface.
The black spirit in the painting of the Iceman casts a spell over the viewer with his intense youthful gaze. According to Mur, the gaze sees situations frankly and demands explanations. Hence the situation with Ӧtzi can also be understood as a second non-physical retrieval, an awakening. Since no clear face is depicted, the gaze serves as a mirror to look inward at ourselves.
At the same time Mur says it is also about humbleness towards our ancestors and our cultural legacy: “There is so much that we must reflect on, even now in times when there is so much change!”
The 1.40x1m painting “AWAKE” was bought as a part of the collection on the reception history of Ӧtzi the Iceman.
