Towering wallpaper filled with vibrant patterns, covered in the lively works of Christoph Ruckhäberle. Step into his theatre in The fourth wall, you will hardly recognise the historic Abby Church.

As director, Ruckhäberle carefully positions his actors wtihin their scenes. They dance, drink, fight or are engaged in intimate conversation. Suddenly, he intervenes. Time is suspended, and in the midst of movement the figures are captured in a painting. The figures have an universal quality, and each work forms a fragment of a larger, unspoken narrative. Ruckhäberle invites you to fill in the missing parts of the story.

The fourth wall

The term ‘the fourth wall’ refers to the invisible or imaginary wall that stands between the actors and the audience. Ruckhäberle’s canvases fulfil this function. You look at the figures, who in turn do not seem to see you. Or do they? The fourth wall crumbles and the immersive space makes you part of the play. The exhibition features around twenty large paintings, ten different types of wallpaper and some forty drawings by the artist.