Plein air painting is one of art history’s greatest traditions. Otherwise known as outdoor painting, the practice gained immense popularity in the mid-19th century and still continues today. Collaborative duo Hank Schmidt in der Beek and Fabian Schubert have carried on this artistic staple, but with their own humorous twist—since 2009, they’ve turned plein air painting into an unlikely self portrait.
The ongoing project is called Und im Sommer tu ich malen (roughly translated, it means And in the Summer I do Paint), and it features in der Beek in various locations across Europe—among places that undoubtedly inspired past painters. But rather than filling his canvas with the surrounding landscape, in der Beek simply records the pattern of his shirt or sweater. Schubert captures the self-centered sight, simultaneously showcasing the awe-inspiring scenery while chronicling one man’s attempt for life to imitate art. The results are conceptually amusing as well as beautiful, thanks to their grandiose natural settings.
Und im Sommer tu ich malen has appeared throughout the years in solo and group exhibitions, but now the photos are available together in a book of the same name that’s published by Edition Taube.
Fabian Schubert: 