He is an artist for connoisseurs: Norbert Schwontkowski's paintings are elegantly reserved and highly poetic. Aside from all trends, the painter from Bremen cultivated a figurative art of soft tones, which enables deep insights into the absurdity of existence. Fine humor throws its conciliatory light on the seemingly isolated scenes and sceneries. Even in the smallest format, Schwontkowski's world is vast and fascinatingly foreign. The Neues Museum Nürnberg owns 19 paintings by Schwontkowski from the Böckmann collection. They lead deep into the private universe of the artist who, as a gifted colourist, celebrated the nuances of even the dirtiest and darkest hues. In addition to an introduction by Thomas Heyden, Olaf Metzel contributed a memory of his estimated artist colleague and friend: "Norbert trod a fine line between illustration, narration and statements, which were 'underscored' by the titles."