Demut 2015

Siegfried Zademack made this painting, "Demut," with oil, layering light and shadow, probably working slowly and deliberately. The figure stands shrouded, embracing a tree as if for comfort, and the surface of the moon glows as a silent witness. I imagine Zademack applying thin glazes of paint, building up the luminosity of the moon, then dragging a dry brush to create the texture on the tree trunk, wiping off the excess to leave the barest trace of pigment. It's an uncanny space, reminding me of the Symbolists, and the sense of mystery and spiritual longing they evoked. The artist invites us to contemplate the unknown and the unknowable. Each brushstroke is a step toward understanding. Artists like Zademack, and really all artists, build on what's come before and offer something new to the conversation.