In his work, Stefan Kürten (*1963 in Düsseldorf) walks the fine line that separates the delightful, sunlit idyll from the dark shadows along the edges of architectural scenes or lovely gardens. The detached, single-family home and its environment of greenery, flowers, and all kinds of accessories is a major subject in the artist’s oeuvre. Kürten captures what is seemingly incidental about these places through his choice of framing. At the same time, he portrays their harmlessly enticing beauty—evidence of their stereotypically obtrusive veneer—in a style of painting that, like that of the Impressionists, only picks up on what the eye can immediately detect without a sophisticated knowledge of the effects of color and form. Since he does not depict human beings, Kürten prods the viewer into completely indulging in the visual illusion.  Exhibition schedule: Galerie der Stadt Remscheid, May 11–June 30, 2013