“I am particularly interested in the figure of the human being and I am concerned with pictorial objects that always give conclusions about human activity. My work is fragmentary and at best suggests a temporal sequence, a movement.”
Johannes Daniel is a German artist based in Leipzig who creates large-scale graphic paintings that depict fragmented human figures. He paints dreamy liquid worlds through fluid lines and pastel color that are contrasted with harsher graffiti and urban aesthetics.
Daniel’s artistic process involves collaging drawings, text, and photographs. He achieves a multi-layered effect through a unique interplay of painting and digital manipulation. He photographs his work throughout the painting process then digitally overlays the images to meticulously plan his next steps. This reciprocal process between painting and digital collage allows him to refine and evolve his pieces, creating a harmonious blend of the digital and the tangible.
Daniel’s work is influenced by his extensive archive of collected materials including lyrics, poems, magazines, fashion, photographs, and music videos . This diverse array of influences lends his work a contemporary and multifaceted feel. Daniel’s process is deeply intertwined with his everyday visual experiences, both in the digital and the real world. By integrating elements from various sources that he encounters daily, he constructs artworks that are rich in context and modern in their sensibility. Thus, his work is not just a reflection of his creative process but also a commentary on the multifarious nature of contemporary visual culture.
In this latest show, Platinum Tears, Daniel seeks to question the conditions of the ‘male gaze’ through his fragmented figures. His compositions prompt viewers to recognize and reflect on the culturally ingrained objectification present in media. By creating figures that are male / female hybrids, he disrupts traditional viewing conventions. These hybrid figures challenge the viewer’s perception and encourage a more nuanced understanding of identity and representation. Through this approach, Daniel not only critiques the ‘male gaze’ but also opens up new possibilities for how we perceive and engage with images.
