Jochen Hein: Reflexion

[Book Description]


Jochen Hein has developed a unique visual language in painting. From a distance, his works appear to depict shimmering seas, rolling fields, or vast skies. However, as viewers approach closely, the “reality” within the image fractures from our perception. These paintings, which initially seem like realistic landscapes, gradually deconstruct into pure color and brushstrokes as the viewing distance shortens, and the illusion dissolves.

Hein’s paintings are not imitations of natural landscapes but highly experimental creations: paint is applied wet-on-wet on the canvas, colors merge with one another; the surface undergoes dripping, spraying, wiping, scraping, and thick layering techniques. His works function like open laboratories, allowing viewers to glimpse the mechanisms and layers of creation, as if stepping into the artist’s studio.

Hein’s artistry lies not only in depicting “nature” but also in revealing the “essence of painting.” In his images, the boundary between representation and abstraction is completely blurred, and even the notion of “illusion” itself becomes yet another layer of illusion. These works compel viewers to reassess the relationship between vision and reality and foster a deeper understanding of painting as a creative language.


[Details]


Author: Jochen Hein
Publisher: Hatje Cantz
Publication Year: 2020
Dimensions: 27×32 cm
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 192 pages