The surface of the airbrush painting seems to be the closest one I could find. It is smooth, the smoothest, blurry, the blurriest, yet has the highest definition on its surface all at the same time. - Gao Hang, 2022
The exhibition features the most recent works by the Houston-based painter and visual artist. After numerous exhibitions across the US and Europe, Hang’s works are being shown in a solo exhibition in Germany for the first time. Hang belongs to a generation that grew up in the computerage and is naturally familiar with the internet. For millennials, the extended use of social media is part of everyday life and can become increasingly time-consuming. With his smartly chosen snapshots, Gao documents his attitude towards the digital world and his own mind journey from the struggle of endless screentime to the fight against it. A tendency that most people can relate to very well.
Hang’s work titles are hidden references, and the viewer might recognize hints to stand-up comedy quotes or viral trends. Without knowing the titles, the works could depict specially selected objects and places or portray a particular person. On the other hand, they could also be anything or anyone. A favorite star or any person from social media; the currently most popular video game or all games of the era in one; an excerpt from the most recent invention or the influence of all the technological development surrounding us. The generalized irony only gets visible through the title provided by the artist.
Bright neon colors, blurred surfaces, and straight forward references –in the heyday of social media and internet perfection, Hang’s mesmerizing paintings hit the zeitgeist in a humorous yet brutally honest and eye-opening way.
