Friedrich Kunath
2 collaborations
Kunath saturates his art in irony, nostalgia and pathos. Working predominantly in painting, but also across sculpture, installation and film, he roots his practice in unlikely stylistic juxtapositions. Vast landscapes and fragments of still life recall 19th century Romanticism and Northern Baroque painting, while cartoon characters, 90s song lyrics and tropical sunsets nod to contemporary popular culture and holiday-postcard clichés. The works use heavy textural contrast, with thick oil impasto layered over thin washes of watercolour, and single-line illustrations scratched on top. As well as the paintings themselves, Kunath's installation attests his meta sense of humour. All Your Fears Trapped Inside (2019) shows Kunath’s paintings in a cluttered bedroom behind a glass wall. Displaying his own life as a museum exhibit, Kunath saterisies himself and the archetypal figure of ‘the artist’ - probing questions of legacy, personal freedom and ambition.
