Artist Interview｜Martin Wehmer: The Different Faces of the Gods

Q：Can you talk a little bit about the theme of this exhibition? Where did it come from?

Martin Wehmer：The Garden of the Hesperides is a very old story from antiquity. It’s about Hercules, who has twelve tasks, one of which involves visiting this garden. However, I don't want to make it overly complicated. The garden serves as a model for collecting various works. In collaboration with Leo Gallery, we are gathering “flowers”—if you will—representing older abstract paintings alongside some new works from my Greek God Series. There’s a range of sizes and styles, making it quite diverse.

I’m presenting this collection in a context that goes beyond mere subject matter. It’s about how I’ve been developing my painting practice based on the initial concept that serves as a starting point for this exhibition’s theme.

Q：In this exhibition, we have some series that are close to this title, for instance, the Greek God Series. Can you talk a little bit more about the relationship between these series and the whole concept of the exhibition?

Martin Wehmer：The Greek God Series is a theme I’ve been exploring for two or three years. It’s relatively new in terms of my painting style, but it resonates with my life experiences. It reflects my childhood in Germany, my education there, and my move to China. At first glance, one might wonder what this has to do with China. However, during my exhibitions in Germany, people were often surprised to see a German artist painting these subjects in China. This series explores how systems can manifest as layers in different ways.

There’s a famous film by Jean-Luc Godard from the 60s that inspired me. In his film Le mépris, there are three or four layers of narrative. One layer is a love story between Michel Piccoli and Brigitte Bardot. Another layer critiques the film industry itself, where the set is filmed within another set, creating a self-referential system. The third layer incorporates Greek gods, depicted dramatically against blue backgrounds.

As a young boy, this film fascinated me. It demonstrates how different systems can reflect one another. In this exhibition, you’ll see various styles, and some people may question whether I know what I’m doing. But it’s actually a contemporary exploration of painting.

While the Greek God Series draws from ancient subjects, I don’t approach them traditionally. Instead, I take worn-out concepts and place them in a new context, which I find to be a forward-thinking approach.

Q：As you already mentioned, you transition classic items or symbols and put them in a contemporary context. How does this kind of transition help you express your personal artistic vision?

Martin Wehmer：For Europeans, Greek gods embody certain values—each god is associated with concepts like war, peace, and parenthood. While some may assume that people in Asia have similar knowledge, I find it often works the other way around. For instance, we might see Buddha depicted decoratively, but the deeper meaning is sometimes lost. This cultural transfer and transformation is a fascinating and significant point for our time. As globalization progresses, we’re at a moment where the end of one thing could signify the beginning of another.

Having lived in China for 17 years, I’ve encountered this phenomenon. I noticed a surge of Greek god motifs in Chinese interior design—an adaptation of European styles that I jokingly refer to as “Donald Trump’s taste.” This cultural adaptation has no deep roots. So it raises questions about how we, despite lacking a deep mutual understanding, utilize these symbols.

Q：You already talked about your past life, like your childhood in Germany. You moved there 17 years ago. How does the change in your lifestyle impact your painting?

Martin Wehmer：Moving from Germany to China helped me gain clarity about my roots. The distance allowed me to see my identity more clearly. While living in China, a foreigner can’t truly become Chinese. But the point is that this is a situation for a painter and artist, which is really rich to use for finding your own topics. It’s intriguing to explore how we perceive the same subjects—faces, gods, landscapes, or abstraction—differently in Asia and Europe. This daily interaction with varying perspectives enhances my painting practice.

Q：Have you faced any challenges in interpreting some classic art scenes or items, especially with the distance from your homeland?

Martin Wehmer：I don’t feel particularly connected to traditional German painting. I’m not sure why. It simply doesn’t resonate with me, as it often feels heavy. My work is more aligned with a European approach, but I don't focus on tradition. The thing is that people still believe that we are in a kind of modernist or post-modernist way that there are improvements, like linear from realistic to abstract, from abstract to some concept. But I think that notion is collapsing. Today, in the art world, anything can happen anywhere, regardless of age. This diversity is part of what we refer to as contemporary or globalized art. My experience in China also allows me to transcend discussions of post-colonialism, where Westerners create art in different cultural contexts.

Q：Regarding your painting subjects, you have both abstract and figurative elements. How do you view the relationship and boundaries between the two?

Martin Wehmer：I sometimes have concepts in mind when creating an abstract painting. For instance, the first piece in the exhibition features a brown structure that reflects a classic abstract style from the 50s and 60s, but it’s actually just a detail of a leather sofa. This shows how forms can shift. The Greek gods in my work are derived from sculptures; they are idealized figures, not real human beings. These sculptures exist worldwide, often in unpainted forms, and I use them in my compositions.

Since this exhibition is titled The Garden of the Hesperides, I felt my gods in the garden needed flowers. This addition serves as a counterpoint to the theme, adding a touch of irony. Flower paintings are traditionally significant, and while they might not be trendy in contemporary art, they complement the gods in the garden beautifully.

Q：Another unique aspect of your paintings is the texture and technique you use. Can you discuss how you employ blades to create your artwork and what makes this approach distinctive?

Martin Wehmer：My brushstrokes are not overly emotional; they tend to be cooler and more restrained. One critic described them as “frozen strokes.” I'm able to paint with one stroke, or it looks like it's one stroke to define a face, hand, or feet. If it all comes together, have one stroke to find the color and the material, the oil, one thing like a face, half face, ear, or even the back of a girl. So then everything comes together, and then it becomes perfect. 

Q：Because you sometimes use large knives in your work and are quite skilled, do you think your body movements influence your painting?

Martin Wehmer：Many contemporary painters project the subjects on the canvas, so they switch off the light and then use techniques, projectors, or whatever to define the shape, at least the shape, or even start painting that. I prefer a more traditional approach. I draw directly on the canvas, which is connected to my physicality. My ability to create large-scale works is tied to my body size and movement. My paintings reflect that personal connection, distinguishing them from those created with technical aids.