Japanischer Garten 2013

Eckart Hahn made this painting, Japanischer Garten, and right away I want to know what kind of garden this is. I am compelled by the different coloured branches; gold, black and blue, all reach up towards a single yellow sun, and the flight of that little brown bird, escaping from its blue nest, is just so vivid. It's the kind of painting that makes me think about how artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing on ideas. I imagine Hahn, alone in his studio, working layer upon layer, adjusting the colours until they vibrate just so. What was he thinking about when he placed that black bowl at the bottom, filled with yellow paint? Maybe he’s thinking about the cyclical nature of the garden, of life, death and rebirth, the ongoing process of artmaking itself. I love the way the light glances off the gold of the tree trunk, contrasting with the matte surface of the black branch. All of it combines to create a conversation between the artist and us, and I can almost feel the brushstrokes, the textures and the emotional intention of the piece.