Der Hahn und der Fuchs 2019

Siegfried Zademack made this painting, Der Hahn und der Fuchs, with what looks like oil paint, maybe a touch of glaze, and a whole lot of imagination. The way he handles the paint here makes me think about illustration, that smooth finish, but the subject matter has a stranger, more surreal edge. Take the rooster, for instance, all puffed up with these incredible gradations of fiery orange and black. You can almost feel the texture of his feathers, each one meticulously rendered. And then there's the fox, so sly and furry. Zademack's put them on top of what seems to be a scroll. The light source is unclear, and it almost looks like the scene is illuminated from within! And the dogs in the background, why are they there? It reminds me a little bit of Magritte, you know, that feeling that something strange is going on just beneath the surface of the everyday. It’s this combination of technical skill and narrative oddness that makes the painting so interesting, inviting you to make up your own story about what’s going on.