Aus der Balance 2013

Editor: Siegfried Zademack's oil painting, "Aus der Balance," from 2013, presents a rather striking and unusual take on a familiar scene. There's a clear depiction of the crucifixion, yet it feels distinctly surreal. Ribbons and a pulley system add a peculiar, almost industrial element. What do you make of it? Curator: This piece immediately strikes me as a commentary on the means of production surrounding religious iconography. Consider the oil paint itself: historically, its cost and accessibility were tied to specific social classes and production chains. Here, Zademack seems to be deliberately exposing those material connections. How does the juxtaposition of the religious subject matter and the "industrial" elements like the ribbons and pulley resonate with you in this context? Editor: It's as if he's stripping away some of the reverence. The ropes and pulleys, for instance, might suggest the mechanisms through which belief is constructed or perhaps even manipulated. Curator: Exactly. The use of readily available ribbons, rather than something inherently precious, democratizes the visual language. It reframes the crucifixion, removing it from a purely spiritual sphere and placing it within the realm of the everyday, the manufactured. Consider also the labour implied: who made these ribbons, and for what purpose are they usually used? Editor: So, are you suggesting that the painting prompts us to consider the social and economic forces at play, even in something we might typically perceive as purely spiritual? Curator: Precisely. The artist prompts us to consider art making, not only art viewing, and further who profits from that industry? It pushes us to acknowledge the material realities underpinning even the most sacred imagery. Editor: That definitely shifts my understanding. I was initially focused on the symbolism, but now I see how the very materials contribute to the artwork’s meaning. Curator: The painting acts as a cultural mirror, revealing a relationship between material culture and society's artistic consumption, thereby transforming something sacred into an item of consumerism, readily accessible for all, whilst acknowledging its true inherent meaning.