“I’m not such a painter, so interested in the history of painting or to reinvent painting. I’m more interested in humans and the human condition…And this always refers to that time when thinking about your own psychology was really involved.”

—Lenz Geerk

Hunter, executed in 2014, belongs to Lenz Geerk’s humorous and witty Jäger series. In this series of works, the artist caricatures the hyper-masculine figure of the hunter, portraying them as inept and posturing while also deploying his characteristically restrained palette to stark visual effect. The series is about the different stages of the hunt, presented in a humorous tone with social commentary. Here, the hunter, set against a flat, pale background, dressed in a long, mauve coat, stands stiffly and clutches an oversized pink rifle. At the hunter’s feet, a white dog lies inert, eyes closed. Rather than presenting the hunter as heroic, Geerk employs subtle shifts in body language, including a slouched shoulder, a downturned face and an awkward grip, to suggest uncertainty and self-doubt. His posture is rigid and uncomfortable, hinting at disappointment or even self-reproach rather than triumph. In turn, the dog, traditionally a symbol of loyalty and companionship, becomes an emblem of vulnerability and loss instead.

Geerk’s humorous approach is underscored by the exaggerated features of the hunter, including high-arched brows and a stylised face that borders on caricature, reminiscent of the grotesque masks depicted by James Ensor or the surreal visages of Michaël Borremans’ figures. The outsized rifle and dramatic expression further satirise the traditional, heroic image of the hunter. Instead of a scene of victory, the painting captures a moment of awkward aftermath, where bravado dissolves into an ambiguous emotional state. The real question posed to the viewer is not whether the hunter feels proud or ashamed but what is truly lost in this scene: has the hunter gained anything or has he in fact destroyed a faithful companion? Ultimately, Hunter is less about the act of hunting and more about the human, masculine, condition: solitude, disappointment and the need to appear strong even in moments of profound weakness. Through restraint and wit, Geerk captures the fragile, sometimes absurd nature of mortality.