Painting local chronicler: The opening of the exhibition by Wilfred Waiblinger (above, right) was also attended by Mayor Manfred Walter (2nd from left) and the musicians Dieter Kuttenberger (left) and Hans Gschrey. © Photographer: Andrea Jaksch
The "passionate Sunday painter" Dr. Wilfred Waiblinger is currently presenting 60 views of Gilching in the town hall. At the opening on Friday evening, he announced that he wanted to give away all the paintings.
Gilching – "This is a record," enthused Gilching's mayor Manfred Walter on Friday evening on the occasion of the opening of a picture exhibition with motifs from the municipality. It was a record because for the first time around 70 visitors came to the town hall foyer for a vernissage – far more than at previous exhibitions. The event was hosted by Dr. Wilfred Waiblinger, who presented 60 watercolours and oil paintings from his own painter's studio under the title "Our Gilching – discover where you live".
"A walk through this exhibition is very special and a real pleasure," said Walter. "It's a real treasure that has been created here." Not without pride, he pointed to a watercolor that shows the former town hall and has adorned the wall in the mayor's room for years. "Now I've temporarily taken it off as a loan for the exhibition."
Waiblinger moved to Gilching with his family forty years ago and has been volunteering in social areas ever since. Among other things, he referred to motifs that are already a thing of the past, including a blooming Japanese cherry tree, which originally thrilled walkers at the Silbernagel petrol station, or Siberian irises at the asphalt mixing plant. "For me, the combination of motifs that don't belong together was always exciting," Waiblinger explained.
He describes himself as a passionate Sunday painter who wants to contribute "to people walking through our homeland more consciously and with an open eye" with organized hikes and now through the exhibition.
Rush on registration list
He had struck a chord with local councillors Rosemarie Brosig (BfG) and Matthias Vilsmayer (FW), among others. Beaming, they told in unison that they had determined from the pictures that Gilching had not only six, as previously known, but even seven mountains. The visitors were surprised and thrilled when the artist announced: "All paintings will be given away. Anyone who has chosen a motif can sign up for the list with the title of the picture and will receive it after the exhibition." Which actually led to a rush on the registration list. The vernissage was musically framed by the "Altbayerische Wirtshausmusi". The exhibition can be seen until 4 July during the opening hours of the town hall.
Uli Singer