Upon first glance, Gottfried Roemer’s works appear as nearly abstract, impressionistic paintings. Each composition is, however, a photograph on an aluminum surface. Roemer’s process is at once unique and reminiscent of the early impressionist art movement; by experimenting with motion techniques through the exposure process of photography, the artist seamlessly captures a poignant sense of immediacy in both light and color within his works. The movement of his lens throughout the artist’s exposure process renders blurred yet elegant swaths of color that outline impressions of shapes rather than their actual forms. Roemer coins his practice as “Painto,” a synthesis of elements of both painting and photography.
In works such as Montauk Beach Sundown (2017), a gradient of deep gray, cream, and tan sweep across the composition in a nearly hasty manner, delineating the impression of a gloomy shoreline. Along the shore’s horizon, a thick channel of bright peach cuts through a hazy sky, hinting at a glint of sunlight amidst the clouds. Roemer states that the observer plays an integral role in the reception of his art. Here, we as an audience are thrust into the beauty of an ephemeral moment in time.
