Happy PaintersOlaf Breuning · 2018

Identification of Happy Painters by Olaf Breuning

We are looking at Happy Painters, a work by the Swiss artist Olaf Breuning. This piece was produced about 2018 and exists as a C-Print. It carries a physical presence that is quite substantial, measuring 122 x 155 cm (48 x 61 in.).

The edition for this specific work is quite limited. It consists of 6 prints, with 2 APs also existing. Such a small number of impressions ensures that the work remains a rare occurrence in any private collection.

Visual Composition and Subject Matter

The composition centers on a series of seven paintings arranged in a steady row. Each piece in the sequence is designed to resemble the artist's own hands, appearing to grasp various tools such as brushes and scissors. These figures are rendered with distinct colors and individual styles, creating a rhythmic variation as the eye moves across the line of works. The arrangement suggests a quiet, organized progression of creative gestures.

The setting appears to be an intimate studio or an exhibition space, where the atmosphere is softened by the presence of several books scattered throughout the room. In the background, a single chair is visible, adding a sense of lived-in stillness to the environment. This arrangement of objects provides a grounded, domestic context to the more surreal imagery of the hands and tools. The work, created about 2018, relies on this interplay between the tactile reality of the studio and the playful, constructed nature of the painted subjects.