“Von der Wand in den Raum in den Himmel”(From the Wall in the Room in the Sky) – a title which also describes the artistic development of the Hamburg artist Heiko Zahlmann, whose formative roots lie unmistakeably in the graffiti scene. Zahlmann once lent colour to unfriendly concrete and breathed the dreariness of urbanity. From exactly that place, in the city’s desert, he has learnt to observe everyday urban life, but also to work quickly in public spaces. This approach is one he continues today, although his current works clearly seem conceptual and contextual in a new way.

Despite this progress, Zahlmann never denies his past – not even after numerous exhibitions in renown galleries and museums. This is mainly because his current cross-border works of art would not be possible without his sprayer background. For instance, when he applies old and reduced graffiti gestures to the deserts of the United Arab Emirates, thus creating a completely form of public space. Or by covering concrete cubes with paint and giving the monochrome square objects an additional surface by wrist movements and free gestural lines that seem to be more written than painted. Heiko Zahlmann and his work stand for the constant reinvention and development of the original graffiti medium. They stand for an unsubdued drive for innovation. By breaking down and extending aesthetic and formative boundaries, Heiko Zahlmann already demonstrates today what future tags might look like and how graffiti is still able to be one step ahead of the zeitgeist.

Galerie Peter Borchardt