From 7 September, Rutger Brandt Gallery in Amsterdam will present a solo exhibition by German artist Johannes Daniel. His work explores human perception and identity, while simultaneously offering commentary on the complexity and layers of contemporary visual culture. Central to his practice is the human figure, depicted in fragmented forms. The exhibition ‘Platinum Tears’ highlights the artist’s vibrant and detailed painting style, which evokes a sense of movement and prompts reflection on how we interpret and assign meaning to images in an increasingly digital world.
Johannes Daniel is known for his large-scale, graphic paintings that are filled with fragmented human figures and body parts. His work is a fusion of dreamy, fluid worlds and harsher, urban aesthetics, where soft colours contrast with elements of graffiti and other influences from the city. Daniel's paintings are inspired by poetry, fashion photography, social media, advertising, and music videos, as well as by everyday observations and objects. This result in paintings that feel somewhat disorienting but are simultaneously intriguing, multifaceted and distinctly contemporary.
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Johannes Daniel, This day next year, 2023, Rutger Brandt Gallery
Daniel's creative process begins with combining drawings, texts and photographs into collages. These collages serve as the foundation for his paintings, in which he merges traditional techniques with digital manipulation and apps that distort images. Daniel photographs his canvases during the painting process and digitally edits these photos to add new layers and plan his next steps. Despite this methodical approach, he leaves room for intuition and unpredictability. The interplay between the analog and the digital results in layered and unexpected compositions. However, on the canvas, he works exclusively with oil paint. The inherent longer drying time often means that he works on multiple canvases at the same time. Daniel’s technique is characterised by a degree of blurriness, unusual perspectives, unpredictable brushstrokes and playful, non-traditional compositions.
In his exhibition ‘Platinum Tears’ at Rutger Brandt Gallery, Daniel explores the concept of the 'male gaze' and the structural objectification of bodies in the media. He dissects these themes by creating hybrid and fragmented figures, challenging traditional notions of gender and identity. These figures embody a mix of traits conventionally associated with both masculinity and femininity. By merging these characteristics, Daniel disrupts the viewing experience and compels the viewer to reflect on how images in our culture are, consciously and unconsciously, presented and perceived.
Johannes Daniel, End of season (so honest and so perfect), 2023, Rutger Brandt Gallery
Johannes Daniel was born in 1987 in Halle/Saale, Germany. The artist currently lives and works in Leipzig, where he studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst. He also spent a semester at the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademia Sztuk Pięknych) in Warsaw and initially studied Philosophy and Art History at the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle/Saale. His work has been included in collections such as the Drents Museum, STRABAG Kunstforum in Vienna, Museum der bildenden Künste and Sammlung Hildebrand (G2 Kunsthalle) in Leipzig, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and Museum No Hero. Daniel has received several accolades, including the STRABAG Artaward International.
