Works by Jakob Lang illustrate the 60 concert programmes of this year's Salzburg Festival – a total of 120 works from seven series accompany the guiding theme „Faith and Light“.
Freischaffende Künstler Jakob Lang from Freilassing, whose studio is in Oberteisendorf, is to receive a special honour: his works will illustrate the programme booklets for this year's Salzburg Festival concert series.
The programme features, among other things, works by Olivier Messiaen, characterised by theological depth, observation of nature and rhythmic complexity, a tribute to the centenarian composer György Kurtág, Mahler's „Resurrection Symphony“, Verdi's Requiem, as well as works by Johannes Brahms. They all take up themes such as faith, hope, death, resurrection and light.
That Jakob Lang was chosen is no coincidence. For many years, his art has revolved around the themes of faith, creation, light and humanity, thus fitting in a special way with the artistic concept of the concert series. Works such as „Mörgenröte“, „Ewige Hoffnung“, „Friede“, „Erschaffen“, „Genesis I“ and „Heiland“ give impressive expression to this idea and can intensify the musical experience.
Just as the concert programme paints a wealth of intense tonal colours, the contemplation of the pictures underlines the themes of faith, light and hope, which impressively connect music and painting.
A total of 120 works by Jakob Lang will be featured in the 60 concert programmes. These include pieces from the „Rhythm“ series, created during his early years, the now well-known „Gold“ and „Japangold“ series, as well as the new „Trinity“ series, which will be released for the first time as part of the Salzburg Festival. This is a poetic photo series with motifs partly tailored specifically for the festival. Depending on the concert, the print run for the programmes ranges from around 300 to 3,000 copies.
With his works, Jakob Lang finds himself in illustrious company at the Salzburg Festival. Twenty ink drawings by Andy Warhol were selected for the main programme booklet, which was already released last November. The works, created between the 1950s and 1980s, reflect the content of the various art forms – opera, drama, and concert.
The Salzburg Festival has been collaborating with prominent contemporary artists for many years on the design of its programmes. As early as 1955, Oskar Kokoschka shaped the festival's visual identity with his stage designs, costumes, and poster art. He was followed by artistic personalities such as Anselm Kiefer, Robert Wilson, Jörg Immendorff, Eva Schlegel, and Martha Jungwirth. Now, Jakob Lang, an artist from our region, joins this notable list.
Under one of his works, Jakob Lang once wrote the sentence: „God must have been in love, and also thinking a little about paradise, when he made the Berchtesgaden region.“ „And Salzburg too,“ one could add, with a view to this year's festival.
(Excerpt from a press article by Monika Konnert)
