CLAUDIA MÄCHLER’S subject is the human being in its entirety or as a portrait. Her paintings question classical notions of idealised beauty. Mächler captures moments and interprets them in such a way that the viewer can share in her emotions. They are close-ups of a feeling. Mächler traces breaks, which then merge into new associations, from abstraction to figuration. As she progresses, naturalistic elements serve as anchors of authenticity. These breaks do not coincide by chance: Claudia Mächler is concerned with creating a harmonious connection of states. Her atmospheric portraits capture the essence of the individual.