Empire the Sky is the Limit

Martin Koester is a young painter who, with an exquisitely expressionist technique, captures the atmosphere of large metropolises as evening falls. Like a photojournalist he manages to bring into the picture the exact moment in which day gives way to night and the lights in the rooms come on while the car headlights illuminate the traffic, creating a luminous river. And it is precisely the lights that fascinate and inspire him. For Martin Koester, beauty is when lights illuminate the darkness of buildings, and of the night, bringing with them stories, tales and secrets. Yes, because every flash of light has its own story which, thanks to the artist, becomes art. The result is a slightly Hopper-esque narrative scenario, but decidedly more positive, where the crowd walking the streets, sitting in the outdoor areas of the clubs or shopping in the boutiques, becomes a single entity. Vital energy, union of dreams, metropolitan hopes. Modern knights who, once the daily battle is over, dive into the consolatory embrace of the joys of the big city. To best capture the spirit of the city, Martin made his first sketches from the roof of the tallest skyscraper, en plein air, trying to faithfully reproduce nuances and atmosphere, with the help of photographs. Once back in the studio, he sets up all the sketches and photos in the center of the room and starts painting. To recreate the international and cosmopolitan atmosphere, the walls of his loft are dotted with city paintings so that when the painting in preparation also vibrates with the same dynamic atmosphere... it means that it is ready. Even if, ultimately, the skyscrapers of New York are not that different from those of Singapore, especially at night, the extraordinary thing is that Martin Koester's paintings convey the soul of the cities depicted. Looking at them, you perceive all their differences, a bit like you were actually there. Born in Hanover in 1988, he studied art at Leibinz University and began painting immediately after graduation. His paintings almost immediately caught the attention of gallery owners and experts, with exhibitions and performances all over the world: New York, Moscow, London, Toronto and many European cities. Today Martin Koester is to all intents and purposes an international artist, represented by prestigious galleries. and present in important collections.