In his first exhibition in Denmark and with Galerie Mikael Andersen, Markus Bacher shows paintings that oscillate on the border between figuration and abstraction. Ostensibly the works are completely abstract, but on closer inspection elements or hints at the figurative - a house, a mountain, a boat, waves, a human figure - slowly emerge only to dissipate again. In this way, the narratives of Markus Bacher’s paintings demand movement in every aspect, from intimate scenes to broad vistas.

A single intended brushstroke can reveal an entire landscape in his paintings, but this emergent landscape often identified by the viewer is also quick to vanish. Not in the same way as a mirage, but almost as details that appear through a fog and crystallise into small, powerful flourishes of colour and texture on the canvas. In organic movements, the abstract is pulled together into fleeting figurative glimpses before transforming.

Markus Bacher combines the ephemeral meandering and depth with a very tactile craft, where the painting’s surface, materials and techniques draw together poetic and atmospheric vivacity.

Markus Bacher (b. 1983) graduated from Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien in 2009 and has since exhibited in various cities including Berlin, Basel, Hongkong, Miami, New York and Los Angeles. His work is represented in several private collections such as Essl at Albertina, Vienna and Hort Collection, New York. 

Photo credits: Jan Søndergaard