Ich hätte Euch auch ein Bild mit wahrhaft revolutionärem Impetus malen können (I could also have painted you all a picture
with truly revolutionary impetus), 2007
Oil, canvas
210 x 280 cm
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.
