He goes backward, looks forward is a new solo exhibition by Georg Haberler, taking its title from a phrase by Ursula K. Le Guin. The expression, which describes a porcupine’s approach to observing its surroundings, captures a way of moving through the world—one that prioritizes reflection before progress. This notion of awareness and considered movement forms the conceptual foundation of Haberler’s new body of work. Rather than turning to the past to understand the present, Haberler seeks to reflect on the present more effectively—to cultivate an attitude of attentiveness in a time defined by constant acceleration and productivity. His works suggest an alternative tempo: a mode of engagement that values awareness, curiosity, and continuity over speed.
In this series, Haberler revisits his earlier explorations of the painterly surface, a phase marked by meditative attention to material and texture. At that time, he worked with abstract colour fields and transparent textiles to expand the boundaries of painting. The new works draw on these foundations while translating them into a freer and more immediate visual language—one that embraces intuition and joy without losing structural precision. Technically and spatially, the works move beyond the canvas. Lemon-yellow stripes painted directly on the wall activate the surrounding architecture, extending the composition into the exhibition space and transforming the paintings into dynamic, responsive presences. The relationship between image and environment becomes integral: the wall, the air, and the viewer’s movement all complete the work.
A defining aspect of Haberler’s practice is the dialogue between front and back. Each work carries its own hidden counterpart—threads, stains, or gestures that extend beyond the visible surface. This interplay reflects the artist’s belief that to fully grasp something—whether an image or an idea—one must perceive it from multiple sides. The front can be enjoyed on its own, but only the encounter with its reverse reveals a more holistic understanding. Recurring motifs such as vessels, bowls, and bags function as symbols of preservation and memory, while new elements, including animal forms detached from the pictorial ground, emphasize the object-like quality of his practice. The works balance architecture and emotion, surface and depth, thought and intuition.
Ultimately, He goes backward, looks forward is a meditation on continuity and perception—between past and future, presence and reflection, the visible and the hidden. Haberler invites viewers to slow down, to look closer, and to reconsider how meaning unfolds across time and space—to move backward, in order to truly move forward.
His work has been exhibited widely in both solo and group exhibitions. Recent presentations include Spark Artfair (Vienna, 2025), Art Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, 2025), Salondergegenwart Group Show (Hamburg, 2024), Kannst du mich halten at Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art (Salzburg, 2024) and Kleiner Fuß im großen Schuh, Jo Van De Lo Gallery, München (2024).