The artist from Neuchâtel, Switzerland who honed his craft at the Bern University of the Arts and the Hamburg University of Fine Arts under the guidance of Professor Matt Mullican, creates mesmerizing works that capture memories of landscapes and figures of enigmatic origin. With fervent passion, he pays homage to the pioneers of modern and contemporary painting, scrutinizing their legacies through the lens of our current epoch.

Diverging from his predecessors, who meticulously rendered the observed world onto canvas, he begins his journey with abstraction, drawing from vivid mental images he refers to as «Mirrors». Through his dynamic brushwork, he conjures expressive landscapes awash in vibrant reflections, evoking a lost paradise – a natural realm where the viewer can immerse themselves and revel in sheer delight.

Currently showcasing his stunning, large-scale pieces in the historic Chateau de Gruyères in Switzerland, Jon Merz enchants audiences with vivid portrayals of colorful and mysterious landscapes, their exact geographical locations shrouded in mystery. Oscillating between abstraction and figuration, his works are deeply inspired by the masters of modern Western painting. From Impressionism to Expressionism, Merz skillfully interprets and revitalizes these teachings, crafting a contemporary nature that resonates with us all.

His brushwork occasionally evokes the spirits of Monet, Munch, or Ensor, yet his approach aligns more distinctly with the experimental pursuits of abstract expressionists like Joan Mitchell. While the world around him finds a place in his canvases, he eschews a literal representation of its material reality. Instead, the landscapes of Jon Merz arise from gestures and conceptual abstractions, allowing a unique vision to gradually unveil itself as it edges toward figuration.

With an artist’s keen eye, Merz embeds subtle clues within his works that engage perception, revealing glimpses of an inner world – a possible universe or a lost paradise. The vivid, dynamic colors, paired with invigorating brushstrokes, infuse his creations with a lyrical quality, creating a blend of beauty and tension. At times, faces emerge from the clouds; at other moments, they bring greater clarity to the compositions, inviting viewers into a captivating dance of abstraction and figuration.

«Welle», 2022
signed, dated verso
oil on Belgian linen, wooden stretcher
100 x 80 x 2.7 cm
(JDM.00004.M)

«Fall of the rebel angel», 2021
signed, dated verso
oil on Belgian linen, wooden stretcher
40 x 50 x 2 cm
(JDM.00002.M)

«Untitled (Sky 5)», 2023
signed, dated verso
watercolor on paper
21 x 29.7 cm
framed 34.4 x 25.8 x 2.5 cm
with museum glass
(JDM.00010.D)

«Untitled (Sky 4)», 2024
signed, dated verso
watercolor on paper
21 x 29.7 cm
framed 34.4 x 25.8 x 2.5 cm
with museum glass
(JDM.00009.D)

«Untitled (Sky 3)», 2024
signed, dated verso
watercolor on paper
21 x 29.7 cm
framed 34.4 x 25.8 x 2.5 cm
with museum glass
(JDM.00008.D)

«Untitled (Sky 2)», 2024
signed, dated verso
watercolor on paper
21 x 29.7 cm
framed 34.4 x 25.8 x 2.5 cm
with museum glass
(JDM.00007.D)

«Untitled (Sky 1)», 2024
signed, dated verso
watercolor on paper
21 x 29.7 cm 
framed 34.4 x 25.8 x 2.5 cm
with museum glass
(JDM.00006.D)