Gallery mode · personal advice · reservation possible
A face, half familiar, half lost in a grid: in “Digital,” Matthias Hübner divides a monochrome portrait of a woman into two worlds. On the left: calmly modeled, classical portrait painting. On the right: the same half of the face breaks down into small squares that drift like a stream of pixels across a glowing red field. A picture with immediate impact – and one that tells a very precise story about our time.
Why This Work Resonates
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Strong impact from a distance: the 100 × 70 cm portrait format and the intense red give “Digital” the power to structure a room instantly – a clear statement on the wall.
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Duality in a single image: classical portrait modeling meets digital fragmentation. The left side stays physical and close; the right dissolves into a grid – identity between presence and dissolution.
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Monochrome vs. signal color: the finely graded grays of the face stand in stark contrast to the red field. Black, white and red form a bold, almost iconic triad.
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Contemporary relevance: the work addresses self-image, visibility and digital reshaping without becoming merely illustrative – it remains painting, not graphic design.
Materials & Details
“Digital” is painted in acrylic on canvas, 100 × 70 × 1.5 cm. The figure is laid out in nuanced grays and blacks; soft transitions model face and hair, while clear contours hold the form. In the right half of the picture, a strict grid cuts into this surface: small squares of varying density that settle like pixels over the red zone. Neon and UV-reactive paints heighten the effect under the right lighting, making the work especially interesting for exhibitions and presentations under blacklight.
The canvas edges are cleanly finished; the painting can be hung unframed but also has strong presence in a slim floater frame.
How to Hang It Best
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Placement: ideal as a standalone piece on a clear wall – in an entryway, a lounge area, a conference room or a media or creative office.
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Height: the figure’s focal point should be roughly at eye level, so that the shift between portrait and grid can be experienced intuitively.
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Lighting: even ambient light for everyday use; if needed, one or two directed spotlights (CRI ≥ 90) to show the grays and reds precisely. In rooms with UV or neon light, the special pigments reveal an additional layer.
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Framing: a slim, matte floater frame in black or dark metal supports the contemporary character.
Curatorial Context
Matthias Hübner works in what he calls “modern surrealistic realism”: realistic figures and high-contrast black-and-white palettes, complemented by deliberately placed neon and UV colors. People and their inner tensions are at the center – not smooth ideal images, but states between security, doubt and transformation.
“Digital” is a key work because it asks what remains of us when we are broken down into data, images and grids. The right half of the face looks like a glitch – or like the logical consequence of a world in which everything is translated into squares, likes and frames. The red field is both stage and warning signal: visibility comes at a price.
Art-historically, the picture plays with elements of Pop Art, pixel and Op Art aesthetics, but combines them with the classical portrait tradition – a dialogue of surface and depth that very much belongs to the present.
Spaces & Combinations
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Spaces:
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agencies, media and IT companies
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educational and cultural institutions focusing on digitalization or media literacy
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private collections in which “the human being in the digital age” plays a role
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Color climate:
“Digital” works well in reduced surroundings: concrete, whites and grays, light wood, metal. Individual red or black accents in the room can subtly echo the picture but should not compete with it. -
Combinations:
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black-and-white photographs or drawings dealing with the body, the face or the cityscape
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media and light works that continue the “pixel/screen” motif
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in a Hübner hanging: “Digital” as a colorful anchor next to the artist’s purely monochrome works
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Collector Services
Availability & shipping
“Digital” is available as a one-of-a-kind original. We coordinate insured shipping or personal handover – including scheduling and professional art packaging. On request, the work can be reserved for a short period while framing, logistics or budget are finalized.
Documentation & certificate
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detailed work documentation (title, technique, format, year, signature)
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certificate of authenticity as the basis for provenance and collection records
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on request, advice on lighting setup, care and long-term display
“In your space” visualization
We can visualize “Digital” to scale in a photo of your room, so that its effect, height and spacing can be experienced before you buy – especially helpful for representative areas such as lobbies, reception or conference zones.
Think in Ensembles – Compact Variations
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Contrast duo: “Digital” plus a quiet, reduced work (e.g. a graphite drawing or an abstract black-and-white picture) creates a rhythm of statement and calm.
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Theme wall “Identity & Media”: combined with works dealing with reflections, silhouettes or shadows – the picture becomes the anchor for the digital.
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Material contrast: canvas with neon/UV next to a sculptural work in metal or acrylic glass – the analog brushstroke in dialogue with industrial surfaces.
Work Details
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Artist: Matthias Hübner
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Title: “Digital”
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Technique: acrylic on canvas, neon colors, UV-reactive
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Format: 100 × 70 × 1.5 cm
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Year: 2025
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Status: one-of-a-kind original
