Hans Habeger

Gallery Affiliations: George Billis Gallery

Region: Midwest

Website: http://hanshabeger.com/home.html

City / State: Libertyville, IL

This series focuses on the facades of big-box and strip-mall stores in suburban Chicago. This type of building not only populates the landscape but is also an integral part of the larger culture of consumerism in which we live. I find these mundane spaces visually appealing due to the architecture, the quality of light, and the arrangement of design elements that emphasize the abstraction of the subject. Viewing the scene from the front creates straight horizontal lines and vertical lines that form geometric shapes within the space, reflecting the flat nature of the picture plane. The compositions evolve through the use of digital photographs, preliminary sketches, and tonal drawings. Aspects of the photo references are altered, heightened, and edited during this stage and continue to be modified throughout the painting process. As a result, the works are deliberate constructions, adjusted as needed to create balance, unity, and a sense of place.