See Saw 2019

Curator: Immediately striking is the surreal yet highly realistic rendering of this... unusual still life. It is Eckart Hahn's "See Saw," created in 2019. Editor: The unexpected pairing of objects creates a visual tension. There is a playful quality, but the dark background evokes a certain moodiness, as if this strange trio is isolated in its moment. Curator: Hahn's artistic practice consistently integrates the genres of still life, animal depiction, and landscape, typically relying on this realistic style but in almost unbelievable scenarios. I would position him among those artists working today who play with hyperrealism to defamiliarize ordinary subjects. It makes you question our perception. Editor: Absolutely, there’s an almost dreamlike logic at play. The bird fused with the fruit transforms them both. Toucans have long been associated with the exotic, a representation of the lush and wild tropics. But juxtaposed here, what might a bird emerging from a banana suggest? It is such a loaded, ripe symbol already. Curator: Well, consider that Hahn lives and works in Germany, where the influx of goods and images from across the globe became quite common. Perhaps Hahn’s image plays with the concept of authenticity in a globalized world? Mass consumption? Editor: The single blueberry balances it all. Symbolically, the color blue often conveys a sense of melancholy or spirituality. In a strange way, this small addition transforms the otherwise bizarre juxtaposition into a scene of balance. A very quirky balance, but still… Curator: It's that contrast between strangeness and meticulous rendering that fascinates me about Hahn’s work. The execution invites us to engage intellectually, and he succeeds in raising concerns around the idea of hyperreality in contemporary art production. Editor: I agree. These stark arrangements compel us to seek meaning in these unexpected pairings, to create narratives where the bizarre suddenly feels significant. It really shows us how potent the familiar can become when recontextualized in an interesting and unexpected way.