Painters on the Run

Donya H. Aalipour (born 1995 in Tehran, Iran) Although the artist’s works are inspired by daily life and her circle of friends, traces of Persian painting tradition can be recognized in her colors and compositions, and as with all other artists in the exhibition, abstract and figurative elements are used together. Arang Choi (born 1992 in South Korea) Her paintings and objects seduce into magnificent surreal worlds where dark secrets threaten to lurk. In her paintings, drawings, and ceramics, the artist constantly develops new protagonists for her infinite dream stage. Hybrid forms—somewhere between animal, human, and fantasy beings—botanical creations, landscapes, architectural spaces, and the indefinable meet in mystical fiction. Haruka Tomotaka (born 1997, Fukui, Japan) The reflection of Japanese culture in Europe, as in “Say your wish!”—inspired by the Japanese media series Dragon Ball, known throughout Europe—mixes the patterns of traditional Japanese fire with the globally known pop animation. This is not only a homage to the culture but also the combination and fusion of old and new traditional figures. The painting series “Fashionable Girl,” also inspired by European pop culture and fashion magazines, reflects through the blurred spray background and the strongly drawn figures the contemporary decisive role of clothing and models. Reka Horvath (1993, Budapest, Hungary) Her works are snapshots from a fictitious world; scenes with emotionally charged creatures are depicted. The assumed perspective knows no deception or hidden intention. Everything is presented unfiltered, so that all parties involved, including the viewer, are confronted with the essence of truth. Arbi Jaballah (born 1984, Vienna) While his works oscillate between abstraction, ornament, and figuration, he invites us into a dazzling, mysterious, and sometimes humorous world. Fabian Köttl (born 1996 in Vöcklabruck, Austria) In his paintings, he moves between reality, fantasy, and social trauma. His pronounced artistic talent as a draftsman can be read in the details of his paintings. Magdalena Schwaiger (born 1998 in Salzburg) In her works, the artist’s interest is directed toward biomorphic, organic forms—broken up by subtle cuts and stark contrasts—as well as the dissolution of the figure. Figure and body and their interaction with the environment play an important role here. In the abstracted figurative constellations, partly ghostly bodies of both human and animal nature can be recognized. Pia Simone Weissinger (born 1978 in Vöcklabruck, Austria) She paints stories with a historical reference to human snapshots, in which usually something drives people to destroy themselves, bring shame, or exclusion. Furthermore, in her still-life series “Animal with Side Dish,” fish are pictorially cooked, breaded, marinated, and finally garnished with side dishes. Here, too, the preparation of the “fish specialties” was carried out with technical finesse—with the goal of being consumed as a feast for the eyes!