13 Attempts to Become a Rooster - 13

The series "13 Attempts to Become a Rooster" dates back to the years 1977/78.

The series may be considered a surreal Curriculum Vitae.

The series ends with a self-portrait, not because Wolfgang Lettl enjoyed looking at or even painting himself; looking at himself in the mirror every morning while shaving was enough for him.

His opus of 500-600 works created over more than 60 years includes just six self-portraits.

The self-portrait with a rooster's beak resulted from an inescapable interpretation of this series of paintings.
We end up realizing that what matters is not how to become a rooster, but to prove to be human in vastly divergent life situations, something for which the example of the rooster is only partially successful. New challenges in life call on us to strive over and over again to be human with one another. As humans we are never finished.

CURRICULUM VITAE

1919 born in Augsburg

1940-1943 Communications Officer in Paris; first exposure to surreal art; paints watercolours of Parisian scenery in his spare time

1949 marries Franziska Link

Since 1954 independent painter. Receives commissions for murals, sgraffiti, mosaics, stained glass windows, portraits.
Develops a personal surrealist style.

Since 1963 participates in the "Große Kunstausstellung München". Member of the "New Munich Artists' Cooperative". Numerous solo shows.

1975-1995 establishes a second residence in Puglia (Italy). Inspired by the southern light he occasionally creates impressionistic paintings.

1993 - 2013 "Lettl Atrium - Museum for Surreal Art" in Augsburg

1998-1999 participates in four surrealist short films:
"The Mad Lemon", "Riegele", "SUB","The Operation"

2000 major Retrospective in Augsburg:"Lettl - 80 Years".
In connection with this exhibition five multimedia students from the Technical University create, produce and present the project "Lettl in Motion" for the city of Augsburg.

2002 opening of the Lettl Museum in Lindau

2004 to mark his 85th birthday, the multimedia project "Doors" is produced.

2008 Lettl dies surrounded by his paintings.