Exhibitions

By Hans Schiebold
Instagram: @schieha

Hans Schiebold is a painter, designer, artist and creator of visual works for several decades. Hans, originally from Germany, now shares his time between two diverse environments: the beach-side suburb of Seaford and inner urban Collingwood.

His ocean-themed works (1 to 7) use broad, flowing brush strokes more uncontrolled, reflecting the seaside landscape’s constant movement. In ‘Windy Day’, Hans perfectly captures the bounce of light and wind from the water’s turbulent surface.

• “Living by the bay inspires me to paint, especially the patterns created by the ever-changing tides and winds. These works capture a mere moment in time.”

However, painting the urban landscape is Hans’s real passion. The early influential years of living in Haidhausen, Munich, surrounded by history and design, inspired his innate attention to detail, placement, and perspective.

• “The Melbourne inner city landscape holds great interest to me. The diverse architecture portrays our history and displays characteristic features of particular periods. Significant landmarks, beautiful milestones of days past combined with the juxtaposition of the new, form the basis of my work.”

Hans’s Urban Landscapes (works 8 to 18) are, by comparison, constrained, precise, almost print-like, with a precision often only lent to digitally produced art. The structure of each piece is interlaced with bold shadows and striking silhouettes of foliage. Slightly reminiscent of the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian in ‘Composition with Large Red Plane, Yellow, Black, Gray, and Blue’ (1921), Hans constrains colour, form, and movement on the canvas to produce striking geometric, almost abstract, architectural images.

Windows, in particular, are a recurring theme in Hans’s works. Since the 13th Century, windows have evolved in structure, design and materials, but it’s the single-hung sash window typical of the Victorian Terraces of inner-city suburbs of Melbourne, as seen in ‘A View with a View’ that he likes most. Further, the history of the decorative trims and mouldings, as we see them today, are links to our past, as seen in ‘Collingwood Corner’, which depicts the well-known car park façade above Woolworths on Smith Street.

• “A painting all begins when I see something and get an idea. In the studio, I sketch possible compositions. When I am happy with the placement, painting begins.”

Often, Hans’s preconceived ideas of how the work will come together are modified significantly along the way. Spontaneity plays an essential role in the creative process, and Hans allows his to direct the direction and outcome of each painting.

Come peruse 18 of his most interesting works over a glass or two of fine wine.

The exhibition is on until Sunday 02 March 2025
Open Wednesday – Sunday 4PM until 10PM