Markus Huemer

Markus Huemer (*1968 Linz, AT) examines concepts, constructs and myths in his artworks, which are often accompanied by a semi-satirical undertone. The discrepancy between the minimalism of the visual image, in which the paint almost approaches the quality of newspaper print, and the apparent flippancy of its title may seem bluntly obvious. However, the bleak but not entirely unromantic snowy landscape, and perhaps the hint of a clearing, create a space in which to reflect on what “truly revolutionary impetus” might mean in a world where nature can be both mechanically reproduced, and destroyed on a previously unknown scale. This insistently mischievous approach to meaning making seeks to disrupt our desire for a clear interpretation of an artwork. The viewer is sometimes hard-pressed to place the artist’s oeuvre, which combines elements of pop and media art with the more traditional approach of a natural scientist from a previous century. Indeed, Huemer has previously created a series of paintings that draw directly on the work of the Swiss natural scientist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717). Ultimately, Huemer’s work could be taken as a form of encouragement to trust one’s own perceptions and allow one’s imagination to make free associations and weave a story around each artwork for oneself, instead of relying on received interpretations.