Black swan swing 2019

Eckart Hahn made this painting, Black Swan Swing, at some point, and it’s a trip! The yellow background is so flat, it almost feels like it’s pushing the rope forward, into our space. And what a rope! Hahn’s totally obsessed with the material quality of it, the way it twists and turns, thick and black, almost like a snake. You can practically feel the texture of those fibers, how rough they’d be to the touch. Then, BAM, this little red loop hanging down. It’s the only bit of color besides that screaming yellow, and it kinda throws the whole thing off balance. Like, what’s it doing there? Is it a mistake? Or is it the whole point? Hahn’s got this hyper-real thing going on, reminds me a bit of Magritte, but with a darker, weirder sense of humor. I love how he’s not afraid to leave us hanging, to embrace the mystery. Makes you wonder what other surprises he’s got up his sleeve.