Fabian Köttl views the world through a unique lens and reveals absurd scenarios in his paintings, drifting into the surreal—always surprising and peppered with dark humor. Sea monsters hijack a luxury yacht and prey on the pampered travelers. Animals are social actors and pursue careers. Horses and donkeys act as factory owners. They process sheep’s wool, while sheep obediently remain sheep. Fish have human legs and play the violin. Mythical creatures populate the scene—half human, half animal. Witches bathe wild boars. Rich people relish eating paper money.
Images that are confusing, offensive, and leave one perplexed: What is the point of all this? What can it tell us? Invitations to allow for abstruse thoughts, to explore the bizarre, to view the world and the hustle and bustle of society from a wondrous perspective.

For comic book connoisseurs, Gary Larson comes to mind. Larson has viewed the distant and crazy side of reality through cartoons from a similar perspective. Equally pointed. One might think Larson inspired Köttl. But the painter had never even heard of the cartoonist until now. He presents us with his own “Far Side”—through his art and his humor. We’re free to marvel and to laugh.

Fabian Köttel, born in 1996 in Vöcklabruck, lives and works in Vienna. He studied there at the Academy of Fine Arts under Daniel Richter, graduating with honors.