Legism 2014

Editor: So, here we have Eckart Hahn’s 2014 acrylic on canvas painting, "Legism." I’m immediately struck by the...strangeness of the composition, the pale flamingo perched on a stool next to a crutch bisected by a bizarre yellow line. What on earth is going on here? What do you make of it? Curator: That "strangeness", as you put it, is where Hahn's magic flickers! I sense a quiet meditation on balance – precarious balance, mind you. We’ve got the flamingo, a symbol of elegance and flamboyance, hoisted on a simple, grounded stool. Then, the lonely crutch implying some sort of...lost balance, perhaps? It makes me wonder if Hahn is using these objects as stand-ins for something more abstract. Have you considered what *that* yellow line could be implying? Editor: Well, it visually divides the painting, but beyond that I am stumped! Is it, perhaps, intended to evoke a sort of disruption or boundary? A chasm? Curator: Yes, yes! A boundary... or perhaps a flaw? I am also taken by how Hahn renders ordinary things like flamingos as extraordinary, dream-like objects, set against slightly grimy walls. Is he hinting at our capacity to perceive wonder in unexpected locations, or in states of fragility? Maybe *I'm* just being overly romantic, though! Editor: No, I see what you mean. Suddenly, the objects aren't just *things* anymore; they’re little mysteries prompting deeper thought! I initially reacted to it superficially, but I'm now seeing a complex narrative in play. It is definitely weird, though, let’s not get away from that! Curator: I totally agree! "Weird" doesn’t have to be dismissive, sometimes "weird" just *is*, and it’s marvelous! So, what new perspective do you think you’re taking away after our short jaunt here? Editor: To consider symbolic depth first and foremost and question what appears simple or straightforward...and to accept weirdness! What about you? Curator: Ditto to all that! And also to give into the intuitive sense when it emerges while also trying not to be too obscure in explanations – that can happen a lot I must say! Thank you for that lovely reminder!