German artist Thilo Heinzmann brings his vibrant and evocative pigment paintings back to Korea with his second solo exhibition, “Pure, Nature, and Liberation,” on display at Perrotin Seoul in Gangnam until December 21. Known for his abstract compositions, Heinzmann’s works are characterized by diverse and overlapping brushstrokes that release bursts of pure pigment across the canvas, creating dynamic, multi-layered artworks that form an ongoing visual dialogue.

Heinzmann's exhibition includes approximately 10 large-scale paintings, with two panoramic pieces spanning nearly three meters titled “O.T.” The paintings capture the eye with a palette of mauve, pink, blue, and emerald tones, each color rhythmically dancing across the canvas. Lines and forms move freely, inviting viewers to feel the pulse of each piece as they shift and evolve, almost like a choreography of colors.

Heinzmann’s work is both meticulously planned and unpredictably spontaneous. His process involves predetermined brushstrokes alongside deliberate releases of energy, allowing for unplanned interactions on the canvas. Each composition, developing on a wet surface, emerges as a revelation, capturing the power of “deliberate accident” and intuition honed over years of experience. This unique approach infuses his work with a raw, liberated energy that resonates deeply with viewers, sparking their imaginations.

A passionate cultural enthusiast, Heinzmann draws inspiration from classical music and overlooked pockets of art history. His interests translate into the “interconnectedness” visible in his work, where various lines, vectors, and tangents suggest a journey through space and time. For him, painting is an open-ended flow of consciousness, leaving behind expressive traces and marks that seem to float and drift within the viewer’s mind long after seeing them.

Heinzmann avoids assigning descriptive titles, allowing viewers to freely interpret his works. “Everything is visible in my work,” he once stated, underscoring that abstraction is not about representing something but existing as it is. This approach sets his art in motion, inviting viewers to explore the boundless conversations within each piece.

His artistic journey began in the early 1990s at Städelschule in Frankfurt, where he studied fine arts. His fascination with pigments emerged in response to digital technology’s arrival in art schools, with Heinzmann choosing to explore the expressive potential of physical materials. In 2018, he became a professor of painting at the Berlin University of the Arts, where he continues to shape the future of abstract art.

Over the years, Heinzmann has collected pigments from across the globe, creating his works outdoors in a garden courtyard beside his studio. Exposed to natural elements, these vibrant, pollen-like pigments seem almost alive as they disperse across his paintings. Heinzmann and his two long-time assistants, who have developed a seamless communication style with the artist, use various tools to create textures on the wet surface, capturing the spontaneity of nature.

Heinzmann’s works bring a visceral, corporeal immediacy that inspires daydreams and introspection. His pigment paintings, like maps of the mind, leave impressions that linger and expand within the viewer's imagination, evoking the continuous dialogue between the artist, his work, and the world around him. This exhibition offers audiences a rare chance to witness the profound allure of Heinzmann’s art in person, as each painting invites exploration of a vibrant, abstract universe.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com