Mario Reis’ worldwide undertaking project began in 1977 in Paris, France. Witnessing the painters lining the banks of the Seine, producing tourist views of the river, Reis considered a conventional depiction of water.

 

He declared: “That was only the illusion of water. I wanted to show the reality of what was going on in the water.” He submerged untreated, stretched canvases into the river. The remarkable variety of effects resulting from the accumulations of water-borne materials on the surface of the fabric confirmed Reis’ working method and indicated a direction for worldwide development.

 

Mario Reis, born 1953 in Weingarten, Germany, a Master Student of Professor Günther Uecker, has received many awards, such as from Osaka Triennale Japan, State Academy of the Arts Düsseldorf, and others. His work is in many museum collections in Europe, the USA, Asia. Many books are documenting the river paintings from Canada, the USA, Mexico, Iceland,