The Museum in Klösterle is launching its autumn season with a remarkable art exhibition featuring works by Xaver Bader, a talented hobby artist from Peiting. Opening on Wednesday, September 17, the exhibition showcases a diverse collection of expressive portraits alongside stunning landscape and cityscape paintings that evoke a deep sense of wanderlust in viewers.
Klaus Hilgner expressed overwhelming enthusiasm when he recently discovered the artistic treasures housed in Xaver Bader's home collection. The two quickly agreed to make a selection of these works accessible to a broader audience. This exhibition serves as the opening event in a series of presentations highlighting Peiting's diverse cultural scene, continuing the momentum from the recent Museum Night, which featured engaging conversations with writers and authors.
Xaver Bader demonstrates exceptional skill in capturing the moods and atmospheres of different times of day through his watercolors, pencil drawings, acrylic-oil paintings, and pastel chalk works. His pieces have become sought-after features for Alpine Club yearbooks and certificates for years. Whether depicting icy cold conditions, the silence at Schnalz peak near Böbing, or an ominously approaching thunderstorm, Bader masterfully conveys the essence of each moment.
As a nature-loving and region-connected cyclist and skier, Bader frequently ventures to nearby Lechtal, the Alpspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains, or the Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) in South Tyrol for inspiration. "We should thank the Lord that we are allowed to live in this beautiful area," Bader reflects. His outdoor painting sessions in natural landscapes provide him with the energy for his extensive volunteer work with local heritage groups and language instruction for asylum seekers. In return, he has learned valuable techniques from sculptor Darci Hasahanov from the Russian Republic of Chechnya.
Bader's community involvement extends beyond his artistic pursuits. For many years, he enriched children's Bible days with his large-format backdrops and created appropriate backgrounds for the annual nativity scene in St. Michael's Church. His interest in visual media began in his early youth, when he was active with cameras and the legendary Super-8 film format. Born in 1938, his professional transition from the mining era to working as an industrial clerk at Agfa, a photo-technical company, seemed naturally predetermined. Upon his retirement, his colleagues gifted him a drawing course in Switzerland's Ticino region, which allowed him to perfect his pencil drawing techniques.
The Culture and Natural History Museum in Klösterle is currently seeking reinforcement for its hunting, fishing, and beekeeping department. Hunters and fishermen once made it their priority to create a permanent exhibition for their exhibits. Through tremendous dedication and passion, they established a unique presentation in the attic of the former hospital that serves as a year-round attraction, particularly for school children. "Here, boys and girls get to know the wildlife of our homeland very well," says Albert Kiepsel from experience. "And we regularly receive interesting exhibits from estate sales," he adds. Following the death of Karl-Heinz Fliegauf, who had a special focus on hunting, the association has been without expertise in this area. The organizers hope that hunters and fishermen will volunteer to serve as supervisory personnel, noting that this would provide an interesting activity for retirees and help prevent isolation in old age.
Bader's artistic education began with Hans Hermannsdörfer, and he has felt comfortable within the creative group for 35 years. "Painting offers me a great range for depicting my environment," explains Bader. His painting titled "Distant View" not only captures the gaze into the distance but also awakens longing for lands beyond the horizon. Paris remains particularly memorable for him, where he accompanied his work colleague and mountain companion Hans Sedlmeier in 2002. The paintings created there, "Flower Market in Paris" and "On the Seine," immediately catch visitors' eyes as they enter the history room in Klösterle.
Among the exhibition's masterpieces are "The Gleaners" after Jean-François Millet, demonstrating Bader's technical skill. For those experiencing personal crises, his painting "The Interrupted Chess Game" offers perspective. The chessboard with trenches symbolizes that life doesn't always run smoothly, while the ladder leading up from the depths represents hope, showing that things don't always lean toward one side. The clock symbolizes that time doesn't stand still and life continues moving forward, providing comfort and encouragement to viewers facing their own challenges.
