Nest 2013

Eckart Hahn made "Nest" in 1971 using oil paint, and you can see how he really works the surface. It's not just about depicting something; it's about making something, you know? The electric blue of the plastic bags, it's so smooth and shiny, like a photograph. And the way he renders the light on that banana, so that it almost glows. But the rough rope, tied clumsily around the bags, that's where the painting comes alive. It's like he's trying to trap something, or maybe hold something together that doesn't want to be held. I'm reminded of Magritte, with his strange arrangements of ordinary objects. But Hahn brings a kind of playful unease that’s all his own. Art isn't just about answers, it's about asking questions, and "Nest" leaves you with plenty to think about.