The works of illustrator and painter Michael Krethlow deal with insects and electrical resistance, barren landscapes and debris, traces of human activity and organic decay. In small-format images, he blurs and shifts the boundaries between experience and dream. The drawings are as beautiful as they are unsettling, the glimpses of reality enigmatic and incomprehensible. As if from times past and future, the sheets seem to enter our present and, as an illuminated “night archive”—the works are being made accessible to the public on a larger scale for the first time—provide insight into collections of hidden worlds. Contributions by renowned authors share exciting perspectives on the artist's work. A discovery!

Michael Krethlow (born 1967, Bern) earned a master's degree in art history from the University of Bern, studied painting and drawing in Edmond Quinche's studio, and ran an exhibition space with a gallery.