Tanz 2015

Eckart Hahn painted "Tanz", which translates as "Dance" in English, using oil on canvas. He's adopted a photo-realist style in his work. Hahn’s choice of materials – in this case, ropes – is fascinating. Ropes, of course, are made by twisting together many smaller strands of material. This process makes them immensely strong. It is an ancient technology. We can imagine all sorts of associations with the material: from sailing and construction to more sinister uses. Note how Hahn carefully renders the texture of the ropes, inviting us to consider the handwork involved in their manufacture. At the same time, he creates a very unnatural composition. These ropes are performing a kind of still life, dancing in mid-air with a set of hovering orbs. Hahn is challenging us to think about materials and making in unconventional ways. The painting asks us to consider the boundary between the real and the represented, craft and fine art.