Abstraction and realism converge to striking effect in the work of cosmopolitan German artist Martin Köster.
Martin is intrigued by the almost magical way in which a city is transformed at nightfall. Car headlights illuminating the streets, bright restaurant doorways casting a glow across the pavements, hundreds of streetlights throwing the dark buildings into sharp relief – each of these different elements has its own story, and he loves to roam the streets of each new city, discovering and translating those stories into striking works of art.
With a particular interest in locations where tall buildings dominate the skyline, Martin sets up his easel on the roof of a skyscraper at every opportunity.
This allows him to look down over the beating heart of the city and to witness its vitality from a distance as an unseen observer. “It's quiet up there on the roof. Nobody bothers you when you paint and yet you are still in the middle of the city” he explains. “It is strange but from a distance it is as if you can get closer to a place. Sometimes it is like looking down into a canyon – the urban environment mimicking a natural feature of the landscape.”
Martin paints exclusively in oils as they allow him the intensity of colour that is crucial to his work. He paints much of the image with bespoke spatulas and palette knives that he makes himself and only introduces a brush for the final stages of the composition. On occasion he dilutes the paints to soften the edges, giving an impression of wet buildings and pavements, but he rarely uses any kind of finish, preferring the work to be as natural and authentic as possible.
Born in Hanover, Germany in 1988. Martin graduated from Leibniz University of Hanover in 2013 and soon began exhibiting throughout Germany. In the early days he specialised in portraying German cities, but his subsequent success has taken him all over the world and he has painted across Europe, Asia and the United States.
While the architectural style may change from location to location, Martin’s expressive brushstrokes, blurred outlines and intense palette make his work instantly recognisable. Since 2018, he has gained an international following and been the subject of successful exhibitions in in London, New York, Kuala Lumpur, Spain, Luxemburg and Denmark.
“I want every viewer to find something for themselves in my work, whether that is simply a place they recognise or a dimly remembered experience. This is one of the reasons why there is always an element of abstraction; I want to leave room for the viewer to interpret the scene in their own way. I want them to feel the romance of each city and if I can bring a feeling or memory to the foreground of their mind, then I have achieved my aim.”
