SUSSI HODEL
Location:
Unterägeri, Switzerland
ARTIST BIO
Sussi Hodel (b. 1971, Brædstrup, Denmark) is a Swiss-based visual artist working with oil on canvas and wood, installations, and video. Raised in Baar, she now lives in Unterägeri and works primarily in her studio in Neuägeri. Her work merges classical painting techniques with contemporary concepts, exploring existential questions, human emotions, and perception.
Hodel studied classical painting with Lisa Schneider from 2001 to 2005 and continued her training with André de Maertelaere (B) until 2015. She obtained a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from Lucerne University in 2023. Since 2015, she has been working independently and exhibits her work nationally and internationally. She is a member of Visarte Zentralschweiz and ArtCan London.
Her work has been shown at the Affordable Art Fair Hamburg, MoCA Beijing, ArtMuc Munich, and in solo exhibitions at Lakeside Gallery Zug, as well as galleries in London, Mannheim, and Chur. Her pieces have been acquired for public and private collections, including the municipality of Baar in 2024.
She focuses on texture, color composition, and structure, creating depth that invites viewers to explore hidden layers. Light, shadow, and contrasts play a central role as she works with the tension between presence and absence, strength and vulnerability.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My artistic practice is deeply rooted in reflecting human emotions, existential questions, and the search for the essence of being. By consciously using classical materials such as oil on canvas or wood, I aim to achieve a sensual and intellectual depth that invites viewers to delve into the layers of what is depicted. The deliberate use of texture, color composition, and structure forms the foundation of my artistic expression.
Technically, I focus on mastering traditional painting techniques, which I combine with a contemporary understanding of composition and emotion. This approach allows me to push the boundaries of the medium and visually capture the multifaceted layers of reality, perception, and inner experience. Each brushstroke is not only an aesthetic act but also a deliberate conceptual gesture that creates space for interpretation and dialogue.
My works reflect the inner dialogue we engage in with ourselves—a struggle with insecurities, desires, and the search for our core. I see my practice as a visual equivalent of philosophical inquiry: it raises questions, invites reflection, and remains open to individual interpretation.
On a personal level, my work is closely tied to observing and analyzing human behavior. I am fascinated by the ambivalence between strength and vulnerability, presence and absence, which define life and the human psyche. These contrasts flow into both my choice of themes and my painting technique, where the interplay of light and shadow and the use of complementary colors play a central role.
My art serves as a means to make the invisible visible—not only on the canvas but also in the consciousness of the viewer. It invites exploration of the deeper layers of perception and encourages being touched by the unspoken.
