Smiley VI – When the smile remains but certainty disappears
| Feature |
Details |
| Work |
Smiley VI |
| Series |
Smear board |
| Year |
2026 |
| Technique |
Oil on canvas |
| Format |
Diameter 70 cm |
| Form |
Round |
| Shipping |
Free of charge, within 3 working days |
| Status |
Original painting |
The best-known symbol in the world
There is probably hardly a simpler pictorial sign than the smiley. Two eyes, a mouth – that’s all it takes to express joy, optimism, or approval.
In Smiley VI, this symbol remains completely intact. The smile is clearly visible, the form instantly recognizable. And yet the picture feels strangely fragile. The white surface seems to bear traces of earlier states. Colors appear, disappear again, and leave behind memories of decisions that have long since been painted over.
The smiley still works, but it no longer feels self-evident.
Schmiertafel – The difficulty of the simple
The Schmiertafel series deals with motifs that everyone knows. Flowers, smileys, trees or simple figures are among the first images we draw.
What interests me is the question of what happens when these seemingly reliable signs lose their stability. Not because the motif disappears, but because its execution becomes increasingly uncertain.
In Smiley VI, precisely this tension arises. The symbol remains intact, the smile clearly visible, the form immediately recognizable. And yet the painting appears strangely fragile. The white surface seems to carry traces of earlier states. Colors appear, disappear again, and leave behind memories of decisions that have long since been painted over.
Between optimism and decay
The large dark eyes and the strong red smile initially create a friendly impression. At the same time, the light facial area appears almost washed out. Color remnants, drips and fine veils recall something that is slowly fading.
This creates a painting that speaks of optimism without simply celebrating it. The smile remains, yet it feels like a memory of something no longer quite within reach.
It is precisely this ambivalence that makes the work a central piece within the Schmiertafel series.
Round original oil painting
The circular canvas focuses the gaze entirely on the symbol. The oil painting lends depth to the surface and makes the process of its creation visible.
Smiley VI is a one-of-a-kind original from my studio in Wiesbaden and part of the ongoing series Schmiertafel.
