Habitat 2017

Eckart Hahn made this painting, Habitat, with what looks like thick impasto and a limited palette of greys, which immediately makes me think about process, like, how much paint did he use?! The material presence of the painting is very striking. Look at the textures! It's as if the birds are set within a ruined wall. The paint is so thick that it almost becomes sculptural. The wall is built up from these large, gestural strokes. In contrast, the birds are rendered with a smooth, almost photographic realism, making them seem incredibly fragile against the harshness of the background. The placement of the birds is interesting too, peeking out from the darkness, like a metaphor for seeing through the chaos. It reminds me a little of Anselm Kiefer, especially the way that he combines abstraction with figurative elements to create a sense of depth and history. Art is always in conversation. In the end, Hahn’s painting opens a space to reflect on themes of shelter, exposure, and the delicate balance between nature and artifice.