Michaela Hanemann

DIE NACHT GEBIERT UNGEHEUER

Acrylfarbe und Kohlezeichnung auf Leinwand, 100 x 80 cm, 2017

Die Nacht gebiert Ungeheuer

About the Work

The painting was created in 2017 out of a sense of urgency: developments in the world whether political, societal, or environmental seemed to be moving in a false, dramatic direction. It emerged as a necessary artistic impulse, a work that had to be painted.

The composition contains a deliberate, singular reference to another artwork: Francisco de Goya’s La noche que da a luz a los monstruos (=The Night Gives Birth to Monsters). This reference functions not only formally but also as a conceptual anchor. It points to the historical dimension of fear and uncertainty that Goya explored, placing it in dialogue with contemporary global developments. At the same time, it remains likely the only direct quotation of another artist in the entire work, emphasizing its particular significance.

The painting operates on multiple levels: it is an expression of an immediate emotional response, a political and ecological statement, and a reflection on the capacity of art to respond to threatening developments. The work invites viewers to consider the connections between history, the present, and individual perception and the responsibility artists bear in moments of collective uncertainty.

Exhibitions

2025 SALON SALDER, Salzgitter, GER
art&buy, Pavillon, Hannover, DEU