Galaktische Uhr 1992

Editor: This is "Galaktische Uhr" or "Galactic Clock," painted by Siegfried Zademack in 1992, apparently using oil and gouache. It strikes me as dreamlike, but also unsettling with that faceless figure. What do you see in this piece from your perspective? Curator: Well, first I look at the "stuff" of the painting. The artist combined oil, known for its smooth finish and blending capabilities, with gouache, which lends opacity and a matte surface. How does the tension between these materials affect the perception of the work, especially considering the dreamlike and unsettling mood you noticed? I believe Zademack is using contrasting material to emphasize a deeper class consciousness of time versus reality. Editor: That's interesting. I wouldn’t have considered the relationship between materials and social context. It also begs the question about the use of these materials versus, say, digital art in a similar theme. Is the conscious choice of an artist a statement of sorts? Curator: Precisely. The *means* of production shapes our interpretation. Zademack opted for traditional media, possibly referencing the history of painting itself. Notice how time is constructed here - a woman laid bare between the clock hands, suspended and almost being cut? Do the candles remind you of labor or mass production? How are both presented and viewed by a working society? Editor: The candles now feel symbolic. It is time *and* consumption combined! So, by consciously choosing painting, Zademack comments on the labour and time inherently embedded in the work, contrasting it perhaps with the rapid disposability of modern life, all while critiquing patriarchal views? Curator: Yes. The materiality, the labor, and the social commentary—they're all intertwined, revealing a complex relationship between time, production, and representation of the female figure within systems of power. Editor: I had focused initially on the image itself, the surreal aspects. Thinking about the artist’s materials and the production process definitely opens it up. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! It shows us that what we see isn’t just an image; it is the physical manifestation of labor and concept merging to challenge us.