In 1987, I started my research on leaf bugs in the fallout areas from the Chernobyl accident in Sweden and the southern part of Switzerland. The reason to do this work was my worrying about the welfare of the insects in these areas as well as the observation, that no biologist had started any investigation into this question - yes at the time it was considered that low level radiation from Chernobyl was not able to damage insect or plant life in any way - thus no study was necessary in the eyes of scientists. The publication of my findings, documented with painted pictures, were therefore highly reproached by the scientific world.

In 1988 I started my research in areas near nuclear power plants in Switzerland. My findings consternated me such, that I had to publish my results again documented with painted pictures. The reproaches of the scientific world became even louder and more aggressive. I thought that by showing the malformations on insects, I could convince not only the public but also scientists, to at least reconsider their own research or to study these facts themselves. In the meantime I have continued with my work in the environs of the reprocessing plant Sellafield UK, the Chernobyl plant, as well as areas affected by the Three Mile Island accident plant in the USA and Krummel nuclear power plant in Germany. Although it seems that while some people are becoming more aware of the dangers of nuclear power like the recent atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific as well as Nevada, USA there are other new dangers like the HAARP Project in Alaska, USA which is equally frightening. Albeit we believe to have everything under control, we don't take enough consideration that with our way of polluting we are not only causing daily the extinction of plants and animals, but are also changing the genetic structures with artificial radiation created by nuclear testing and power plants and also with mutagenic chemical substances.

We have the habit of only looking at what we perceive to be progress in our society, and refuse to investigate the shadow-side of this same progress. In my work, I took on the task of showing what we do not want to see. What is not studied is considered not to be. I deliberately banned my own fantasy from my paintings. What I find in mutated flies, created in research laboratories - or in fallout areas of Chernobyl or on leaf bugs near nuclear power plants outstrips anything that might come from our imagination. In our laboratories we are producing the raw models of what we are doing on a vast scale in vivo. But what we do to animals and plants, we finally do to ourselves and the human beings who will follow us for generations.

It is utterly urgent that we stop giving all the power to the experts. Everyone must start again to become knowing ones, and to make decisions for a wholesome life. We cannot leave it to others to decide our future. I hope that my paintings can help to look at and perceive what is going on before our very eyes.

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