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Husk III

Walter Oltmann
Husk III, 2021
Oil paint, gold foil and oil pastel on paper
Work: 110 x 75 cm

“Empty suits feature as substitutes or surrogates for the body.”, writes Oltmann. “Although they may look a bit like vacated husks and one can’t be quite sure whether they are waiting to be renewed or not, the hollow, shelllike space invites one to imagine inhabiting it; suggesting an in between space - a potential zone of commonality with nonhuman animals, allowing us to imaginatively step inside to have a different view or experience of them, and also of ourselves. The empty suits can also imply bodies in transition, or as if suspended between two states, as during metamorphosis. In many drawings and prints I present the suits in opposing pairs. The famous painting titled ‘The Ambassadors’ by Hans Holbein the Younger (1533) has always intrigued me. Holbein’s image depicts two powerful men posing in a stage-like manner in showy clothes. There is an exaggerated masculinity about their confident and formal stances; they convey their presence as men in positions of power and control. I use this twin image display as comparative power-dressing portraits; striking one pose against another. My suits too suggest personal armour or disguises to demonstrate power and defensive ability.” - Walter Oltmann