In the studio of… Jean Schäfer
From the DDR to the Costa-Brava
Jean Schäfer, born in 1969 in Burg – part of the former DDR, has always been protesting against the narrow perspectives behind the wall and the general conservativeness of the East. As a teenager, he joined the punks in Magdeburg, spraying graffiti on old leather jackets, shirts and schoolbooks. Back then, all of this was considered illegal. Sometimes he even dared leave his colourful trace on the grey walls of houses and dilapidated factories. Everyday life was grey, and it made him yearn for colour. A yearning that has never lever quite left him so far. These days however, he prefers taking the legal paths and colours come to life on canvas. An autodidact, he left the town where he was born at the age of 18, just after the wall had fallen, excited to start a life which he hoped would be more interesting, more of an adventure, less grey. In fact, he was really on a search for himself.
He travelled through many different countries, learning languages, listening to poems and absorbing the foreign colours, landscapes and cities.
Alt Empordà – Homeland
Today, he has found a home away from home in the Alt Empordà. His pictures are highly expressionistic, exploding with colours – they tell the story of all that he has seen, and yet, they still have something to them that is reminiscent of the graffiti he used to spray in the days of his childhood. Jean has never followed a trend; he has remained true to his own ideas and ideals.
He usually uses acryl on canvas. His newest works are on display in his studio in Cistella: works that clearly come spontaneously and from deep within, often portraying children. In his dreams turned pictures, he has created colourful memories and a feeling of security he lost far too early as a child. For the children of our world he hopes that all their dreams are good and full of colour, and that their reality may be happy. For him, it was a matter of course to participate in the art campaign for the orphans of Good Hope. His work, titled Children of the World, certainly is a highlight when the auction . Proceeds from the auction were credited to the children of Good Hope in Tansania, in a try to make their everyday life more enjoyable.
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We are Joe and Birgit Liebscher and this is our blog about all aspects of life in Catalonia. Apart from writing, we work as real estate agents, selling 