Fruehlingsprinz 2018

Eckart Hahn conjures Fruehlingsprinz with a stark yet playful kind of realism. You know, it makes me think about the way pictures come into being, shifting and emerging through trial and error – much like my own painting practice. I imagine Hahn thinking about the weight of the chain, the solidity of the birds as they perch, the tension between the colours. Look how he carefully renders each link, each feather. The paint is probably applied in thin layers, allowing for precise detail and smooth gradations of tone. The broken green rope adds a touch of disruption, suggesting fragility amidst the otherwise solid composition. It’s almost as though Hahn is having a conversation with surrealist painters like Magritte, who used representational strategies to create uncanny juxtapositions. There's a sense of humour at play, and for me, a sense of freedom. These artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring creativity and a constant exchange of ideas through time. It's like we're all just riffing off each other, trying to make sense of the world in our own way.