Papiertiger 2016

Eckart Hahn made this image, Papiertiger, and at first glance, it looks like a realistic painting of a tiger. But wait, something’s not quite right, is it? The tiger is segmented and disrupted by what looks like torn paper, the white of the paper cuts across the realistic rendering of the animal, this is Hahn reminding us of the artifice inherent in representation, the way it is built up from parts to make a whole. I love this technique, the way it lays bare the process of artmaking. I'm particularly drawn to the contrast between the detailed rendering of the tiger's fur and the raw, torn edges of the "paper." It's as if Hahn is playing with the idea of the tiger as both a real, powerful creature and a fragile, constructed image. The playfulness of the work reminds me of David Hockney, another artist who revels in the joy of deconstruction and reconstruction within his work. Ultimately Hahn reminds us that art isn't about fixed meaning, but about open ended conversation.