Goetterfunken 2020

Eckart Hahn painted ‘Goetterfunken’ sometime after 1971. The title, which translates to ‘spark of the gods’ from German, invites us to consider the spark of life, consciousness, or even divinity, within non-human creatures. Here, a gorilla is caught within a web of red ropes, a visual metaphor perhaps for the constraints placed upon wild creatures by human society. The ropes could represent the literal snares of the hunt, or the metaphorical ties of exploitation. The ropes create a sense of tension and confinement, yet the gorilla’s gaze is steady, almost defiant. Perched delicately on one of the ropes is a small yellow bird, a canary perhaps, traditionally used in mines to detect poisonous gases. This juxtaposition invites us to think about vulnerability and resilience, the fragility of life against a backdrop of potential danger. Hahn asks us to consider not just the physical realities of captivity, but the emotional and spiritual dimensions of existence for creatures great and small, bound and free.