The terms pressure, temperature and pain all relate to the skin as a sensory organ that can perceive different types of stimuli. The skin contains specialized nerve cells that respond to mechanical, chemical or thermal stimuli and transmit signals to the brain. Pressure refers to the perception of mechanical stimuli, such as touch, pressure or stretching of the skin1. Temperature refers to the perception of thermal stimuli, such as heat or cold. The skin has two types of thermoreceptors: heat and cold receptors. Heat receptors are activated when the skin temperature rises above 42°C and cause a painful sensation of burning2. Cold receptors are activated when the skin temperature drops below 35°C and cause a painful feeling of frostbite2. Pain refers to the perception of noxious or unpleasant stimuli that can cause tissue damage. The skin has nociceptors that respond to extreme mechanical, chemical or thermal stimuli and send a signal of pain to the brain1. Pain is a protective mechanism that motivates us to move away from the noxious stimulus. However, some factors can increase or decrease sensitivity to pain, such as inflammation, medication or emotions1

• Pressure can also refer to the psychological stress a person experiences due to high expectations, deadlines or responsibilities. Too much pressure can lead to anxiety, depression or burnout.

• Temperature can also refer to someone's emotional state. For example, a person may feel warm when happy or in love, or cold when angry or distant.

• Pain can also refer to the suffering someone experiences through loss, trauma or loneliness. Psychological pain can be just as intense and real as physical pain and can affect a person's well-being and functioning.

THE INVENTION OF ART. The distinction between art and craftsmanship began with Enlightenment thinkers like Immanuel Kant, who saw art as a pursuit of beauty, separate from utilitarian craft. This idea evolved through Romanticism, emphasizing expression and creativity, and later, Modernist movements that highlighted originality and concept. Thus, the concept of art, as we understand it today, has only been developed over the past 200 years. 

The term **avant-garde** comes from the French military term meaning "advance guard" or "vanguard," referring to soldiers sent ahead of the main army to scout or engage the enemy first. In art, it represents artists who are at the forefront of innovation, pushing boundaries and challenging cultural and societal norms. The avant-garde sought to break with tradition, using radical new techniques, styles, and ideas to confront the status quo.

Movements like Dadaism and Surrealism, which emerged in response to the tumultuous political climate of the early 20th century, embodied this spirit of the avant-garde. Similarly, the **monochrome painting movement** of the 20th century, used simplicity to explore fundamental questions of form, color, and meaning. Monochrome art became a form of resistance to traditional representation, encouraging viewers to find depth in apparent simplicity and challenging them to rethink the very nature of art.

Simultaneously, avant-garde art often served as propaganda. Movements like Constructivism were used to promote Soviet ideals, while Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy used art to glorify their ideologies. During the Cold War, Abstract Expressionism was used by the U.S. to symbolize freedom, while Socialist Realism promoted Soviet values. Thus, art has been both a tool for political messaging and creative resistance, balancing between reinforcing and challenging societal and political narratives.

The documentation of human remains being used to create objects, including lampshades, emerged from evidence gathered at Nazi concentration camps during World War II (1939-1945), particularly at Buchenwald. While some specific claims remain subjects of historical research, documented evidence confirms that SS officers systematically collected and preserved human remains as part of their crimes against humanity.

The artistic concept of skin-monochromes explores themes of embodiment and materiality through abstract and avant-garde means. These works consist of layered paint creating textural surfaces that examine physical presence and spatial relationships. Stretched across frames, they function as boundary surfaces that investigate questions of corporeality and objecthood in art and history.

Hermeticism is a spiritual and philosophical tradition that originated in ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period, named after the mythical figure Hermes Trismegistus. This doctrine is recorded in the Corpus Hermeticum and is characterized by the idea that everything in the universe is interconnected ("as above, so below"), viewing humans as a microcosm reflecting the macrocosm. The tradition emphasizes spiritual transformation through secret knowledge and initiation, and has greatly influenced Western esotericism, alchemy, and Renaissance thinkers, recognizable by its complex symbolic language and focus on personal spiritual development.

"Imagine a number of chained individuals, all condemned to death. Each day, a few are executed before the eyes of the others. The survivors witness what happens to their fellow prisoners, knowing that the same fate awaits them. With sorrow and despair in their eyes, they gaze at one another, waiting for their turn. This is the image of the human condition."

"I have often said that the only reason people do not fall into despair is because they distract themselves. Distraction is the only thing that protects us from this despair. We are surrounded by it, but we do not think about it. It is the best of all possible worlds to help us not to think about it."

Blaise Pascal, from "Pensées."

"Es gibt nur Gleichzeitigkeit, keine Chronologie."

Anselm Kiefer