Michael Armitage's large-format oil paintings on Lubugo (bark cloth) are of seductive painterly beauty. At the same time, they create uncomfortable atmospheres, appearing dark and at times disturbing. The British-Kenyan painter skillfully weaves stories and themes from his East African homeland with the artistic traditions of Europe and East Africa. The works gathered in the exhibition "Pathos and the Twilight of the Idle" at the Kunsthaus Bregenz tell of the fragility of political, social, and psychological states across three floors. In a simply designed publication of exceptional format, inspired by the presentation of the works in the understated architecture of the Kunsthaus Bregenz, the paintings and drawings are prominently displayed, revealing their full brilliance. The illustrations of the works are complemented by an extensive conversation between Michael Armitage and Thomas D. Trummer, which follows the dramaturgy of the exhibition and in which the artist provides deep personal insights into the creation process of the works.