Dr. Barbara Brähler, 2002

“With my artworks I set a sign for slowness” – the time factor plays an important role in the works of Georg Raab. He integrates this dimension in his pictures taking the aspect of slowness into consideration and in this way connects his at first sight apparently different groups of work.
To evaluate the principle slowness as a sign of a clam and restrained personality could apply as well as the tendency for Carpe Diem, the enjoyment of the moment, whereby this means an opposite pole to the fast pace of our times today is presented. The preparation and development of this sort of work requires a certain amount of time and is continued during the artistic producing by means of time-consuming techniques. Georg Raab creates a balance within contemporary art works, which – as an expression of the spirit of time – are very frequently built on fast and easy to digest art events rather than on long term projects.
Even while contemplating the pictures the time factor takes up a considerable amount of space. When analyzing the pictures, one notices that they follow an elaborate system, which is to be discovered and which becomes apparent by means of the pictures. In this way a playful moment always resonates from within. The different schemata require an artistic work in series or groups of work that are applied almost compulsively. This background appears to be very stern in theory, but it becomes clear through the pictures, that it is presented gaily, with a certain touch of irony and subtle wit.
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Georg Raab always continues to develop his outline of thoughts. Hereby concept dualities like image/text, time/slowness, irritation/humour as well as the repetition of identical components continuously play a major role. His leaning towards systematization and his insistent desire for order is diminished by a subtle humour and playful moments, in which he frequently provides adequate space for the principle of coincidence. Raab’s role as a social critic is based on the analysis and intellectual processing of the spirit of time. In his art works that apparently offer advice for living and orientation, the critic Raab however reveals himself as a philanthropist.

Dr. Barbara Brähler, 2002