Udo Nöger attended Fachhochschule, Bielefeld University, and has studied in Paderborn, Berlin and Spain. Thanks to winning Nixdorf Grant, he spent some time in the early 90’s in New York, NY and Denver, CO. Nöger aims to bring out the luminescence of paint in his practice. The artist is known for monochromatic gray works that give the impression of emitting light. Nöger achieves this effect by stretching multiple pieces of fabric or canvas onto one frame; he either paints on or cuts shapes into the different layers beforehand. As a result, the work appears lighter and more transparent in certain parts. Nöger has also been known to paint on the underside of the fabric, and to use materials of varying thickness and opacity. Udo Nöger’s paintings, which appear at first glance to be gestural Abstract Expressionism transmuted to a subtle, luminous palette of pale silvery grays, whites and off-whites, change as the viewer moves in and out or changes the angle of view, as well as the level and quality of light falling on and reflected back from the works. The scumbled surfaces and tubular forms (which look airbrushed, but are not) change in sharpness (and thus implied depth) and even color. The wall color may be visible, and possibly also the floor; it’s difficult to decipher how these works operate. With their abstract illusionism perfectly calibrated, they’re spatially ambiguous.