As a counterpart, Nikl partly makes use of a visual language translatable to anyone: Since the rise of emoticons (“smileys”) in the 1980s and 1990s, the design and range of pictorial representations have significantly changed over time: Whereas back then typographic approximations were reduced to a minimum by using characters like 🙂 or 🙁 in order to express humor, a mood, or simply to safe time, today’s emojis have become hyperrealistic symbols of various genres. Unnecessary details like shadow, reflection, depth, and perspective make up pictograms which are as complex as approachable. Their cuteness and playfulness give them a certain lightness and easiness and turns a fire or a cloud into an object that is truer than true. A similar effect applies to the colors of the paintings: following the color scheme of diagrams and charts, they consist of gray or nude tones combined with accent colors that make it a joyful experience – somewhere between scientific logic and childlike play.
Miriam Bettin, 2022

Richard Nikl (b. 1987) studied at the Städelschule Frankfurt 2017 (class of Prof. Tobias Rehberger) and Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna 2015 (class of Prof. Heimo Zobernig). Lives and works in Frankfurt am Main. Finalist of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award 2013.