by osmosis

Conscious of the difficulties surrounding minimalist and conceptual art, Danish born (and Berlin based) artist, Jeppe Hein, incorporates a keen sense of humor and imaginative eye to masterfully transcend the arena's pitfalls.  Keeping a mininal aesthetic allows the true concepts of Hein's work to emerge.  These themes deal with natural elements/forces (ie gravity, fire, light, water etc…), and how the work interacts with the space it inhabits and in turn the observer. 

Jeppe often places familiar objects into unfamiliar and often impossible situations in order to play with the viewer's sense of reality.  This makes his material choices of water, fire, light and gravity even more significant, since they are the constants that inform our experience on Earth.  So to see fire dancing above water or a cube suspended in air are the most unlikely of circumstances imaginable. He also invites the viewer's participation in these events.  His bench series is a clear example of this (what's a bench without someone to sit on it), as well the motion sensors attached to some of his gallery pieces.

It's this inventiveness and a gorgeous, streamlined presentation that makes Jeppe Hein a master of the medium.  Check out more of his work after the jump and at the 303 Gallery and Johann Koenig.