A Place For Hope In 2025

Christmas, the birth of the child, the adoration, … there are many iconographic topics in art history around the end of the year.

Over the epochs different artists depicted the scene of their imagination and in context to their socioeconomic surroundings, but always with a glimpse of hope: that for the here and now hope is born, God is born.

Nativity by Giotto, 1303-05

Paul Gauguin, Christmas Night, The Blessing of the Oxen, 1902-1903

I want to distance myself from the religious agenda and Christianity´s missionary approach in creating art based on the Bible, but want to turn to something more fundamental which can be perceived beyond the scripture.

What if we come to rest and await the birth of hope, the birth of believing in a future?

The birth of baby Jesus could be exchanged with any god that you believe or not believe in, but I want to exchange it with hope.

The world is a dark place right now.

Diplomacy and talking do not lead to peace and understanding, but to threats of global war. This year we witnessed many wars through social media, death and evil was constantly streamed on our phones and even in in our privileged and save homes, our hearts were aching for so many killed and wounded around the world.

Still we live within our skin, with our friends and family and we should all restore our powers and give birth to our own hope.

Hope that 2025 can be a peaceful year.

Hope that 2025 can be a healthy year.

Hope that 2025 can be successful year.

Hope that 2025 can be a creative year.

And so on…

Now it is your turn to be creative and think, for what you are hoping for.

The act of planning what to look forward to is already and active one of manifestation.

Gustav Klimt, Hope, 1907 - 1908

Hope, Piero del Pollaiuolo, 1470

Often when a work is dealing with the topic of hope, women are depicted pregnant: there also is a saying to be pregnant with hope. I do not advise you to become pregnant just to be hopeful. But hope does not have to be a new born baby, it could be something you create for and in yourself: a mindset, an approach or a creative tool.

The artist is a hopeful person intrinsically: To stand in-front of the blank easel or sit infront of the blank page, is a constant proclamation of life and creation. The brushstrokes over the dead canvas breath life into it; and create new universes. Stories unfold on a previous empty page.

In this sense we wish you happy holidays and a wonderful 2025 full of hope

Maria Lassnig, Atelier Avenue B, New York,1974

Picture credit:

Cycle of the Life of Christ, The Nativity Scene, Giotto di Bondone, 1303-1305, Padua's Scrovegni Chapel

Paul Gauguin, Christmas Night (The Blessing of the Oxen), 1902-1903, Rights: Samuel Josefowitz Collection of the School of Pont-Aven, through the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc., the Josefowitz Family, Mr. and Mrs. James M. Cornelius, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard J. Betley, Lori and Dan Efroymson, and other Friends of the Museum

Gustav Klimt, Hope II, 1907 - 1908, MOMA New York, Credit: Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder and Helen Acheson Funds, and Serge Sabarsky.

Hope, Piero del Pollaiolo, 1470, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, SGF 252191 (fotografia b.n.)

Maria Lassnig, Atelier Avenue B, New York,1974, Foto Maria Lassnig, Archiv Maria Lassnig Stiftung © Maria Lassnig Stiftung_VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2020