This Stohead exhibit, perhaps more than any of those preceding, presents works that elicit questions related to the passage of time. The artist here shares paintings reflective of emotional states, while tactfully giving free rein to the imagination of the beholder. Herein lies the strength of the German artist’s work. Layer upon layer, stroke by stroke, from the densest to the most ethereal, he projects his emotions onto the canvasses, without leaving us feeling crushed by their weight. Hence our minds may focus on what they please while contemplating these pieces, which become tangible matrices for our personal interpretations.

A single work thus becomes a wellspring of myriad emotions, and we alone—through the prism of our mindset, mood, and longings—may interpret it.

A simple wisp against a dark background can be for us an eminently ornamental composition—beautiful, technically ingenious, intriguing. Yet the same diaphanous motif and shadowy backdrop might stir up thoughts on instants in time, thoughts on life. The before, the during, and the after. Before, during, and after what? That’s up to us. We see the same process unfold in the more colourful pieces. Are we witnessing a momentary explosion of joy? Or do these works implore us to, more generally, take greater advantage of what we are offered? In Ephemeral 2.0, Stohead, as it is his custom, displays work that has progressed technically and aesthetically, whose world is large enough for our imagination, contemplation, and even introspection.