The joint exhibition of two generationally kindred artists – Tilo Baumgärtel (1972), based in Leipzig, and Mihael Milunović (1967), who moves between Paris and Belgrade – brings together two distinct painterly worlds rich in layered visual narratives and distinctive dramaturgical strategies, set within realms of distorted reality.

Both artists work with nonlinear storylines, capturing ephemeral, simultaneously static and dynamic moments infused with absurd and surreal imagery, dreamlike visions, or fragments of memory – or what might pass as such. They create a sense of a daunting reality that is governed
by its own rules and logic.

Their painterly compositions present compelling situations situated within believable interior and exterior settings, intensifying the impression of a world slightly off-kilter. Natural elements play a significant role here, adding symbolic dimension and emotional intensity to the scenes.

The staged scenes draw on theatrical practices, cinematic strategies or the collage-like assemblies of micro-narratives into complex pictorial spaces where timelines, perspectives, and layers of meanings intertwine.  Echoes of the Unseen offers a glimpse into the current state of European figurative painting while opening up a space for active reflection, intuitive interpretation, and evaluation of what is depicted.

Michal Stolárik
Curator of the exhibition