Michael Sowa paintings are absurd. Surreal. Astonishing and captivating. And funny. All together. I discovered him accidentally. That kind of accident when you discovered something that made your eyes become bigger for a moment or two. And then your heart beats a bit faster.

I sent some of his postcards. I swear I remember what I wrote on each one of them and which one I sent to which person. 

Herr Sowa was born in Germany. He studied at the Berlin State School of Fine Arts. I wonder what his graduation work was. Hmm. After Art School he taught for a while. Short while. And after that, he only did these amazing images and illustrations.  

As long as Michael Sowa keeps painting, I know that life is worth living, cos somewhere in the world someone sees pigs sitting on electric wires and bunnies wearing boxers. In case all things get messy around, I can always run into that world, sweet and absurd. 

 Something you don’t remember is the two paintings that come to life in the film Amelie… well, they’re his. The dog and the turkey (is it a turkey?). 

He also illustrated books and magazines like Sowa’s Ark: An Enchanted Bestiary and Esterhazy, The Rabbit Prince, by Irene Dische and Hans M.Enzensberger.

More? Here is a slideshow: