Caricatures by Horst Saar

To the opening of the exhibition “The dentist – your helper in the emergency” the promotion association art, culture and science Geisa e. V. had invited on 8 September 2023 in the ANNELIESE DESCHAUER gallery.
The expectant audience was not disappointed. As promised, the festive vernissage offered a fantastic mix of art and humor, framed by finest music by “Doctores Brommer & Marcus Bley”.

At the opening, moderator Sylvia Möller welcomed the artist Horst Saar and his wife, the mayor of Geisa Manuela Henkel, mayor Martin Müller from Vacha and many visitors, some of whom had traveled a long way. The presenter invited everyone to explore the mystery of why a cat in particular connects the artist, the gallery and the musicians.

A whole 90 caricatures by Horst Saar from Vacha will be on display until the end of October. Through his drawings in the Südthüringer Zeitung and also in numerous printed works, he has become known to a large audience as HOSA. Born in 1939, the artist has always been a good draftsman, his devotion from an early age was to caricature. For many decades he designed festive publications, stages and decorations. The pageants showcased critical things that were a thorn in the side of the political system in the GDR state. His critical portrayals as a biting aside were reported to political headquarters. Once it almost became his undoing. Fearing the threat of expulsion of his family from his hometown of Vacha in the 5 km restricted area, he then let his drawing pencil rest for a long time.

It was not until years later, when he entered retirement, that he began to work again on caricatures. Dagmar Nicklich, founding member and 2nd chairwoman of the sponsoring association, spoke in her laudation of the inexhaustible number of works that Saar has published over the past 30 years since his retirement. “Two of his many themes he has brought us today. His caricatures about the all-too-painful visit to the dentist and many amusing drawings about the realization that animals also think like humans. Nicklich looked back in history, there are said to have been the first caricature-like representations already in antiquity, on ancient Egyptian papyri, Greek vases or as Roman wall paintings. They are drawings that tell a funny story in a picture, situations in everyday life strongly exaggerated drawn and thus make the viewer smile. Saar’s pictures expose human weaknesses with wit and mockery. “The caricature deliberately exaggerates, exaggerates and distorts characteristic features of an event or a person in order to make the viewer of the caricature think through the contrast to reality that is shown,” said the laudator.

At 70 over the Rennsteig

In his speech, the artist thanked the Förderverein for the opportunity to exhibit his paintings in the ANNELIESE DESCHAUER Gallery. He presented his latest book “Mit 70 über den Rennsteig” (“At 70 over the Rennsteig”), in which he describes his hike together with his wife Ingetraud, to whom he has been married for 64 years. On this evening, many visitors took the opportunity to purchase some of Horst Saar’s numerous books and have them signed by the artist.
After a short introduction of the Förderverein Kunst, Kultur und Wissenschaft Geisa e. V. by the chairwoman Doris Heim, she thanked the caricaturist for the exhibition of his pictures in Geisa and the inspiration that one can still hike the Rennsteig at the age of 70. She also thanked the band “Doctores Brommer & Marcus Bley” for supporting the event with their performance and for giving the vernissage a special touch with their versatile musical program. She then opened the special exhibition “The dentist, your helper in need”.

Rock, pop and classical music

In the further course of the evening, the likeable musicians picked up the audience in a soulful way with their varied program and captivated them, whether with Ave Maria by Caccini, Hallelujah, Freedom or Knockin’ on Heavens Door. Marcus Bley from Kaltennordheim particularly stood out with his unmistakably deep voice when he sang the soulful song “Unsterblich” by Unheilig.


Peter Brommer from Vacha accompanied all the songs seemingly with ease, because he has been playing the piano since early childhood. At the latest when his wife Carola Brommer presented the “Memory” from the musical Cats in a very impressive way, the enthusiastic audience knew what the connection between the bronze sculpture of the cat by the sculptor Jürgen Ebert, the caricatures by Horst Saar and the musicians meant.

After the requested encore, the visitors stayed for a long time to chat and drink Lillet cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere in the beautiful ambience between Dalí, Chagall and Saar.

The caricature exhibition is on display in Geisa until October 31. With the gallery guide for children designed by Dagmar Nicklich and the cats drawn in it by Horst Saar, the gallery visit is also suitable for families.

Photos: Astrid Weimann-Heim

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Opening hours and dates:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
September additionally Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
as well as by appointment via the tourist office Geisa, Tel. 036967 69 115

Sunday, October 1: 2 to 5 p.m. Open House
with coffee and cake from the Förderverein on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the gallery