STATE OF THINGS

Qvartr • Hamburg / Germany • 2023

State of Things presents works by Katherina Heil and Alexander Kadow.

The two artists share a fascination with the enigmatic phenomena that shape our environment between the microcosm and the macrocosm. In both artistic practices, an interest in scientific and natural-scientific inquiry manifests as a form of investigation and trace-reading. At the same time, a reflection on the nature of images, perception, and media plays a central role in their work.

Although Kadow and Heil work with different media, their practices reveal striking similarities in both aesthetics and subject matter. Stones, directional systems, and curious discolorations—perhaps produced by technological sensors or imaging processes—recur throughout their works. Rather than offering explanations, these elements are presented as they are, often leaving viewers to wonder what exactly they are looking at. Encouraging this open contemplation and stimulating the viewer’s imagination is a central concern for both artists.

With State of Things, Heil and Kadow explore the affinities between their artistic approaches while opening up new spaces for association and interpretation. The generous exhibition space of Qvartr Gallery provides a setting for these dialogues to unfold in multiple ways, inviting interactions and shifts in perspective that enable nuanced and layered readings of the works.

The exhibition features drawings, photographs, and sculptures. Its focus lies on the parallels and tensions between the individual works, which, through juxtaposition and unexpected combinations, generate new layers of meaning.