Abram Wilhelm was born 1944 in Amsterdam, grew up in the Netherlands and lived through several personal crises. His childhood was defined by hunger, hard physical work and the experience of sexual abuse. With the age of 21 he arrived in Germany and started a family. His wife committed suicide in 1981, followed by his son, who took his life 16 years later.
In his art Abram Wilhelm found a crisis response. His sorrows and the extreme experiences are reflecting in the intense works created by this outsider artist. He utilizes different media and a large variety of materials, creates paintings, drawings, collages and sculptures for which he sometimes uses found objects, for example parts of a wooden bed or cigar boxes. His creations, which the artist usually draws completely naked, remind of Hieronymus Bosch. Weightless figures, like the “Insektenhexe“ (insect witch) or „Krakenfrau“ (kraken woman) are hovering through color spaces in which you can find religious or mythical references at times. His works show stomata, body fluids, excrements. As a viewer you sense instinctively that Wilhem is not interested in any sort of affected provocation. Thematically he references “on sexuality, but also on anger”, but never to shock or create a sensation of disgust. In his wildly glowing color palette he creates works primarily for himself, fills every corner of his house with them. They are an invitation to feel an artist’s reception who managed to transform his great experienced sorrow into a highly expressive oeuvre that knows of no taboos or boarders. After his turbulent live Abram Wilhelm trusts his inspirational slogan “Great expectations are waiting for those who follow their soul.”
You can find further information about Abram Wilhelm: www.artbram.de