Vigo Gallery is delighted to present Edenism at Wellington Arch, Leonhard Hurzlmeier's second exhibition with the gallery. Concurrently we will show his masterpiece Women at the Well at Mason's Yard painted from 2015 - 2018 and shown in the UK for the first time.
In Edenism, Hurzlmeier investigates one of humanity's oldest narratives through his distinctive geometric visual vocabulary. While he initially experimented with looser forms and simplified backgrounds, he ultimately returned to his characteristic precision and clean form after many iterations. His precise geometric style and meticulous technique create compositions where the elements- from trees and apples to skies and clouds - are rendered with mathematical clarity, within his rule-based distinctly controlled visual language.
The exhibition marks a significant development in scale, with Hurzlmeier embracing larger canvases to house whole-body figures, captured in moments of contemplation, or poised for action - reflecting the universal experience of standing at the threshold of transformative decisions. "The tree of life offers the fruit of consciousness," he explains. "Sometimes we have to decide to bite or not to bite. Because afterwards, everything may change."
Drawing from Medieval and Renaissance art, particularly Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, Hurzlmeier sees the Eden narrative as a metaphor for humanity's evolution from hunter-gatherer culture to civilisation. This transition from instinct to conscious choice is reflected in his precise geometric forms and considered compositions. The snake, a recurring motif in his work, appears as a complex symbol of transformation and duality, while in one notable work, Eve is depicted with white hair—a meditation on maturity and the refusal of knowledge.
Through his exacting style, Hurzlmeier handles this ancient topic without irony while giving it contemporary relevance. In Edenism, each clean line and carefully rendered form serves to elevate this biblical narrative into a broader meditation on consciousness and the perpetual human struggle with decision-making.
These works invite us to reflect on the daily moments when we, like Adam and Eve, face the choice of whether to bite into the fruit of consciousness. Through Hurzlmeier's distinctive visual language, this timeless story of transformation finds new resonance in our contemporary experience.
