statement
My current series of work focuses on the facades of strip malls and big box stores in suburban Chicago. These types of stores not only populate the landscape but are also an integral part of the larger culture of consumerism in which we live. I find these mundane spaces in my immediate surroundings visually appealing due to the architecture, the quality of light, and the arrangement of design elements that emphasize abstraction. Viewing the subject from the front creates straight horizontal and vertical lines which form geometric shapes within the space reflecting the flat nature of the picture plane. Dividing the image in an interesting way with these lines and shapes is a major conviction. The compositions evolve through the use of digital photographs, sketches, and tonal drawings. Aspects of the photo references are altered, heightened, and edited during this preliminary stage and continue to be modified throughout the painting process until the work is resolved. As a result, the paintings are deliberate constructions, adjusted as needed to create balance, unity, and a sense of place.
bio
born: 1976, La Crosse, Wisconsin
education
Indiana University, Bloomington, MFA 2000
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, BFA 1998
selected awards/honors
Dean's Award for Extraordinary Performance, Iowa State University Ames, Iowa, 2006
Artist Project Mini Grant, Iowa Arts Council, 2002
selected publications
Midwest Edition, New American Paintings No. 107, Juror: Eric Crosby, 2013
International Drawing Annual 7, Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2013
Midwest Edition, New American Paintings No. 83, Juror: Lynne Warren, 2009
Midwest Edition, New American Paintings No. 65, Juror Carl Belz, 2006
selected solo or two-person exhibits
Urban Landscapes, solo show, Dandelion Gallery, Waukegan, Illinois, 2013
Habeger vs. Lotz, Edwardsville Art Center, Edwardsville, Illinois, 2012
Hans Habeger and Robert McCann: Strip Malls, Super Stores and the American Landscape, Parkland Art Gallery, Parkland College, Champaign, Illinois, 2011
Solo show, Hans Habeger: Paintings and Drawings, Design Within Reach, Chicago, Illinois, 2010
selected group shows
The Cityscape Show III, Invitational group show, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California, 2013
Seeing the City: Artist Views of New York City, Invitational group show, George Billis Gallery, New York, New York, 2013
Facades, Juror: John Fraser, La Grange Art League Gallery, La Grange, Illinois, 2013
City Streets II, Invitational group show, George Billis Gallery, New York, New York, 2012
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