Armin Turk German, 1943-2013

Armin Turk’s paintings inspire associations with the meditative colour field paintings of Mark Rothko, the abstract blurring of Gerhard Richter, or the light installations of James Turrell. In Turk’s painting, colour and light form a synthesis. The artist used a combination of oil and egg tempera to create pure, highly luminous surfaces with a silky sheen. He layered fine liquid paints to create a soft, translucent, and cloud-like surface. In the lower half of the paintings, various light glazes of blue and yellow hues cover the reddish-brown colour underneath - charging the picture atmospherically. The horizontal or vertical center of gravity attracts the viewer’s attention, and the subtle colours create a movement that is always felt despite the calm impression. While looking at the paintings with a meditative reflection the surface begins to float. (via Hanneke Heinemann, Kunstraum Dreieich, (Juli 2012)).