Hans Vinzenz Seidl (born 1988, Freudenstadt in the Black Forest) is an abstract painter who lives and works in Cologne. In his works, which can be classified as reverse painting on glass, he is increasingly concerned with chance, which can be consciously influenced, and painterly spontaneous snapshots. His deep connection to painting influenced him at an early age, so that he processes drastic experiences of his past in sacred motifs, which can still be found today in abstracted form. In an immersive way, the works reflect certain emotional states as well as states of intoxication and trance, which manifest themselves in his characteristic, wide-ranging colour palette. A formal contemporary reference to classical reverse glass painting as well as to informal art can be seen in Seidl's works and reinterpret them in a novel and fresh way. Recently, he has also been working with painterly elements that are applied to the outside of the glass and open up another level of experience.
How did you get into art?
I grew up with art as my father was also an artist and art teacher. This gave me access to a studio and all kinds of painting resources as a young child. I also remember very well exhibition openings of my father and friends of his, as well as visits to impressive churches in France during family holidays.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
My works are mainly abstract paintings behind glass with strongly reduced and abstracted figurative as well as representational inserts. The reflection through the glass allows the surrounding space and, depending on the angle of view, the viewer himself to appear in the works, thus inviting the viewer to a constant change of location.
How do you go about developing your work?
I usually start from a rough sketch. Since I paint behind glass, I have to plan my works in mirror image and put the highlights first and then work my way to the background. Painting over and touching up is therefore not possible, so you could call it a kind of "painterly one take" which aims for a loose and spontaneous effect.
Who or what influences you?
There are many very different things that influence me, partly very consciously but also unconsciously, so that I often only notice in retrospect what led me to one or another formal decision. On the one hand, it's the various artistic positions of colleagues, museums and galleries that I look at during regular visits to exhibitions. On the other hand, it is also everyday experiences, memories of the past, states of trance, natural phenomena, melancholy and daydreams. Since we are constantly inundated with images, I think it is a mixture of all of these, whereby I manifest my view of the zeitgeist in the form of painting with my personal selective perception.
Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?
Currently I am working in the studio on many new reverse glass paintings in a slightly different, more geometric style. There are a few group exhibitions planned for next year where I will be exhibiting, which I am very much looking forward to.
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