Why not live the way I live

Image Interpretation

At the center is a fragile, slightly distorted figure with large, inquisitive eyes, surrounded by a multitude of sketchy beings, animals, and suggestions. The lines appear spontaneous and searching, as if thoughts were flowing directly onto the surface. Beside the main figure rises an elongated, almost silent companion figure, while smaller figures and animals appear like observers or inner voices. Earthy shades of brown, ochre, and gray blend with transparent layers, creating a surface that is both raw and poetic.

Atmosphere & Effect

The image carries a subliminal restlessness without becoming loud. It is a quiet questioning, an inner monologue unfolding visually. The figures do not seem to communicate with each other, but rather to exist side by side – like different states of a self. This creates a dense, almost intimate mood that draws the viewer directly into a personal world of thought.

Background & Meaning

With the title "Why not live as I live", Ri Meuser von Eschmar formulates a radical yet silent assertion of self. The work, from the early 1970s, reflects a phase of intense inner struggle, in which identity, individuality, and societal expectations collide. The fragmented figures can be read as projections of inner voices – doubt, courage, conformity, and independence all at once. It is not a loud protest, but a poetic form of resistance: the decision to follow one's own path.