Black swan swing 2019

Eckart Hahn’s painting, Black Swan Swing, features oil on canvas. I’m thinking about Hahn’s state of mind, here. He’s got this bright yellow background with a huge, looping form made of thick black rope. It’s super realistic, and the rope even looks a little hairy and worn. The rope is looping around itself, almost like a snake. But then, this thin, red rope is hanging down. I imagine Hahn in his studio, super focused on getting the textures and details just right. The precision is amazing. He’s part of a long line of painters who are obsessed with how things look and feel. It makes you wonder about the contrast between the ropes. Hahn’s inviting us to see what happens when you put realism next to…well, more realism, but in a different color. These painters keep the conversation going, each one pushing and pulling, experimenting and playing. That’s what keeps art alive, right?