In this intimate exhibition, we explore the profound language of abstraction through three powerful paintings: Zohar (1957) by Jean-Michel Atlan, Teuto (1961) by Emil Schumacher, and Mai (1960) by Jean Piaubert. These works converge in their intense engagement with the material world and the metaphysical realm, offering viewers a window into the tension between the known and the unknown. The black walls of the gallery further heighten the sense of mystery, immersing us into a space where boundaries between abstraction and reality dissolve.
24.01. – 26.04.2025 Schöneberger Ufer 71 10785 Berlin
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Atlan’s Zohar is a portal into a deeper, esoteric world. The title refers to the foundational text of Kabbalistic mysticism, which explores the mysteries of the divine through layers of hidden meanings and symbolic interpretations. This sense of mysticism and the occult imbues Atlan’s work with an aura of the magical. The organic, swirling forms, which seem to pulse and vibrate, evoke a language beyond words, conjuring up images of ritualistic incantations and ancient, unspoken powers. Atlan’s use of color—particularly his blending of deep blacks and radiant whites with flashes of blue, red, and yellow—creates a sense of cosmic struggle, a battle between light and shadow, creation and destruction. The painting doesn’t merely depict these forces; it channels them, inviting the viewer to step into a space where meaning is not fixed but is in a constant state of flux, much like the universe itself.
Emil Schumacher Teuto 1961
oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm | 32 x 25 2/3 in signed and dated bottom right, titled back side
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In contrast, Emil Schumacher’s Teuto grounds us more firmly in the material world, yet still carries an aura of the magical. Schumacher, associated with German Abstract Expressionism, often sought to channel the primal forces of nature through his work. The painting evokes the ancient landscapes of myth: the thick, impasto strokes—earthy ochres and deep blues—speak of a connection to the land itself, but also to the rituals that have long been performed in the shadow of these landscapes. The title is likely a reference to the Germanic myths, further anchoring the work in a cultural and spiritual context by evoking the spirits of the land and the ancient magic that once flowed through it. In this sense, Schumacher’s painting shares with Atlan’s a connection to the mystical, but it expresses it through a more grounded, almost elemental magic. While Atlan’s Zohar taps into the arcane and invisible, Teuto draws from the very earth beneath our feet, inviting the viewer to meditate on the magic embedded in nature itself—an alchemy that transforms the mundane into the extraordinary.
Jean Piaubert Mai 1960
oil and mixed media on canvas 195 x 130 cm | 76 3/4 x 51 1/4 in signed two times
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Jean Piaubert’s Mai offers yet another dimension to this dialogue of abstraction, bridging the tangible and the intangible through a textured exploration of form. The painting features bold, geometric shapes juxtaposed with organic, tactile surfaces. Central to Mai is the depiction of a moon, a celestial body long associated with cycles, transformation, and the influence it exerts over the natural world. The moon has an almost magnetic pull, affecting the tides and even the rhythms of the human body, from sleep patterns to emotional states. Piaubert captures this influence through the interplay of the textured, almost volcanic central mass and the surrounding form. The other dominant shape in the painting, almost totemic in its presence, contrasts with the moon’s fluidity, suggesting an earthly anchor or a symbolic guardian. Together, these elements evoke a sense of gravitational balance, where celestial and terrestrial forces intertwine. Piaubert’s mastery of materiality is evident in his use of dense, tactile surfaces that evoke a visceral response, grounding the viewer in the physicality of the work. Yet, this grounding is counterbalanced by the painting’s compositional harmony, which gestures toward a deeper, meditative space. Like Atlan’s cosmic struggle and Schumacher’s connection to the earth, Piaubert invites contemplation of dualities and offers a richly layered experience that is both physical and spiritual.
Together, these works present complementary visions of abstraction. Atlan’s painting is an exploration of the spiritual, the unknowable, and the transcendental, while Schumacher’s work grounds us firmly in the physical world, urging us to contemplate our connection to the earth and its eternal rhythms. Piaubert’s Mai bridges these realms, drawing upon the harmony of form and the physicality of material to evoke a transcendent experience. All these works speak to the viewer’s subconscious, drawing from the well of mythology, symbolism, and primal forces, yet each in its own way invites a deeper understanding of the human experience through abstraction.
Finally, we are reminded that abstraction doesn’t merely seek to eliminate the real but rather aims to reveal truths beyond conventional representation. These artists draw us into their worlds, asking us to relinquish certainty and to embrace the ambiguity and complexity of existence.
