Living space of the nymph 2016

Siegfried Zademack painted 'Living Space of the Nymph' using traditional techniques of oil on canvas. The illusionistic style gives it a photorealist quality, yet the painting’s symbolic content pushes it beyond the everyday. The figure is ornamented with seashells, which gives an organic touch in contrast to the urban geometry of the setting. The metal objects floating in the water resemble gauges or weights; the effect is both unsettling and suggestive. What is the relationship between the natural and artificial, the organic and the constructed? Zademack is clearly concerned with a dystopian theme here, and that is tied up with the materials he represents, and how they contrast. Are we looking at a world transformed by extraction and industry? And is the nymph a displaced spirit of nature, out of her element? By considering these questions of materials, making, and social context, we can fully appreciate the complex ideas embedded within 'Living Space of the Nymph,' challenging any divide between fine art and craft.