Seiltanz 2017

Eckart Hahn made this curious painting called Seiltanz, or 'rope dance', with oils, and it feels like a strange kind of circus. The rope and the gorilla are rendered in such detail, but the overall image feels unsettling. I'm really drawn to the way the rope dominates the composition; the artist’s hand is so evident in the perfect rendering of the twisted fibres. It’s not just a rope; it’s a carefully observed object, and it’s a path for the gorilla, almost like a dance. But look closer, and you notice the torn paper, the stray end of the rope and that lonely red ball. It's a painting which is almost too perfect, but it's the small imperfections that make it feel real. You could say Hahn’s work is reminiscent of Neo Rauch, particularly in the unsettling combination of realism and absurdity. Both artists create these dreamlike spaces that are both familiar and deeply weird, leaving you to wonder about what it all means. Because, ultimately, isn’t the best art the stuff that keeps you guessing?