Jutta Koether's exhibition at Empty Gallery in Hong Kong presents a series of new paintings and works on paper that continue her exploration of abstraction, gesture, and materiality. The show features densely layered canvases and intimate works on paper, often incorporating text, collage, and painterly marks that oscillate between control and spontaneity. The gallery's raw, industrial space provides a stark backdrop for Koether's visceral, process-driven practice.
This exhibition matters because Koether has been a pivotal figure in contemporary painting since the 1980s, bridging European and American avant-garde traditions. Her work challenges conventional notions of painting by foregrounding the physical act of mark-making and the relationship between image, language, and surface. Empty Gallery's presentation underscores the ongoing relevance of Koether's critical approach to abstraction and her influence on younger generations of painters.