Softer Softest by József Csató, Maximilian Kirmse, Paul Heyer, Yeni Mao, Grace Woodcock, Yang Xu Installation view
The object is an image «with its own identity», existing independent of the subject's perception of it, by common sense. In this respect, you can speak of your own body as a source of action, capable of changing the order in which the other images are arranged; "matter" is then the aggregate of images, while "perception of matter" means that «these same images are referred to the eventual action of one particular image, my body».
Domenico de Chirico
This "Softer Softest" brings together a dynamic group of contemporary artists who explore the boundaries between image, material, and meaning. Their works span painting and sculpture, offering a rich dialogue between traditional techniques and contemporary narratives.
József Csató creates paintings marked by tactile and visual depth, blending fairytale and mythological elements into abstract and figurative compositions. His work investigates the evolving relationship between painting, object, and matter with baroque intensity.
Paul Heyer presents luminous, allegorical paintings that meditate on the fragility of life and the nature of being in an algorithm-driven world. Using both acrylic and oil, his works balance playful imagery with philosophical inquiry.
Maximilian Kirmse draws from 1990s Germany to portray vivid, cartoon-like urban scenes. His pointillist-inspired technique captures fleeting, everyday moments with timeless energy, layered in both nostalgia and provocation.
Yeni Mao translates the language of architecture into sculpture, exploring fragmentation and bodily perception within built environments. Through material manipulation, Mao questions how structure and form shape human experience.
Grace Woodcock responds to the modern "depravity of touch" through sculptural forms that evoke intimacy, desire, and sensory tension. Her layered, architectural pieces offer reflections on how physical and emotional connections shape creative expression.
Yang Xu revives the opulence of Rococo through whimsical, dreamlike paintings. Her richly detailed female figures inhabit a fantastical world where elegance meets excess, channeling history, mysticism, and childhood fantasy.
Together, these artists present a multi-sensory journey through contemporary states of perception, memory, and material.
