The work of Jochen Seidel first arrived at the gallery in the summer in the form of two large, imposing works (one of which weighs 175 lbs!) Newly arrived at the gallery is another work by Seidel, a painting titled Hello Young Lovers. Seidel made densely layered paintings which he worked obsessively, sometimes for years, and this work is no exception. Seidel often used the visual form of words as his starting point, and he does so here. The words of the title are written in large letters across the face of the large canvas (95 x 84 inches), providing a supporting structure for the rest of the imagery. Other sentences, phrases, and words appear at various points across the canvas. Many areas are resolved with larger, flat patches of color. Much of the surface of the canvas is covered in a dense web of fine charcoal lines, giving a richly detailed texture to the work. There is no negative space in the painting; nearly every square inch is heavily worked. Like Seidel’s other works, the painting is weighty, laden with emotional force, and it reveals more with each viewing.
Jochen Seidel’s “Hello Young Lovers”
