Apfelbaum 2021

Editor: So, here we have Gazmend Freitag’s “Apfelbaum,” created in 2021. It’s an acrylic on canvas and quite striking. I'm immediately drawn to the starkness of the tree against that bright sky, which is also echoed in the architecture behind the landscape. What's your take on this work? Curator: It's a beguiling scene, isn’t it? Freitag captures a mood that feels both familiar and slightly melancholic. The tree itself is so very prominent and the brushstrokes have this urgency, a certain rawness – almost as though it was captured in a moment, an emotional state if you will. Don’t you feel like it has a heartbeat, a silent story about to burst? I think of all the things the Apple Tree must endure during the long hard seasons, to remain a prominent beacon for years on end. Editor: I definitely see the emotion. The gnarled branches and that twist in the trunk give it a real sense of character. Does the cityscape peeking behind influence how you read the landscape at the front? Curator: Absolutely. That juxtaposition, that urban landscape just behind this seemingly idyllic, very quintessential foreground scene… I feel as if that really enhances the emotional weight of it. It could indicate a transition, that even these symbols of nature must be shared, perhaps ultimately displaced in some way, wouldn't you agree? I suppose this would lead me to wonder if this is perhaps autobiographical, in some way, on behalf of the artist. Editor: That tension makes perfect sense. I hadn't considered the potential autobiographical angle but I am certainly intrigued! Curator: That's the wonderful thing about a successful painting: its story continues to unravel, in perpetuity. Editor: It certainly offers plenty to think about. Thanks for sharing your insights.