Since the dystopias of the past have become our reality,
now is the time to envision new utopias.
I work primarily with painting, exploring perception as a relational process.
My work is grounded in perception as a relational process. Painting becomes a space in which different layers of reality—inner and outer, simultaneous and shifting—can coexist without hierarchy or narrative closure.
When figures appear, they are not conceived as characters or symbols, but as relational presences. They resist naturalistic depiction in order to remain open, differentiated, and unstable.
Where no figures are present, space itself becomes the carrier of presence—as a field in which perception can unfold and orient itself.
Rather than illustrating ideas, the work invites perception to emerge in its own time. Meaning is not fixed, but arises through encounter.
Selected works and available prints can be found in the respective sections of this site.selected Texts
Perception, Reality and Figuration in the work of Uwe Henneken
The reception of Uwe Henneken’s work has so far been sparse and has often relied on terms such as fairytale-like, fantastical, romantic or psychedelic—descriptors that reveal less about the works themselves than about the limits of established modes of perception and critical language.
Henneken’s pictorial worlds do not emerge from escapism or illustrative fiction, but from an expanded understanding of reality. They engage multiple layers of the real: inner and outer spaces, temporal shifts, relational fields and states of simultaneous presence. What is read as fantastical or psychedelic is the articulation of something genuinely perceived—made visible beyond a dominant, functional logic of everyday reality.
The attribution of the psychedelic does not point to substance-based or consciousness-altering practices. Henneken’s works are created without the use of psychoactive substances. Their proximity to such readings arises instead from a mode of perception that translates multiplicity, simultaneity and inner differentiation into a dense, often highly saturated pictorial language. That viewers may draw visual parallels to their own experiences speaks less to a shared source than to structural similarities in the way perception takes pictorial form.
In this sense, the impression of the fantastical does not originate in the work itself, but in the gaze of the viewer—where one’s own concept of reality is more narrowly defined than what the works allow. Henneken’s practice can be understood as a form of expanded realism or plural reality, in which non-ordinary perception is not treated as an exception, but as an equally valid mode of knowledge.
The figures are not invented beings, but relational stand-ins. They embody multiple aspects, states and modes of relation, and deliberately resist naturalistic representation. Their complexity and their oscillation between clarity and irritation result from this inner differentiation—not from narrative intent or symbolic illustration.
Essay by Kuri Gralen
Diversity & Oneness
Uwe Henneken’s creations evoke a sense of mystery and contemplation, inviting viewers to explore and interpret the layers of perception embedded in his imaginative scenes.
In his early works, solitary figures wander through luminous, Arcadian-like landscapes bathed in rich, vibrant colors—seekers who appear to have forgotten what they were searching for or what they have lost. Over time, his paintings shift from seeking to finding, evolving into radiant soulscapes that embody an ever-deepening sense of discovery.
Henneken’s practice is defined by a fluid, ever-changing interplay of styles and motifs, rooted in profound questions of introspection and extrospection. He, as his imagery, is in constant pursuit of inner coherence, traversing different states of consciousness and offering viewers a gateway into his vision of inner and outer otherworldliness.
Through his work, he weaves together themes that reflect the complexities of the modern world, mirroring the relentless flux that shapes both our internal and external realities. Yet, beyond this reflection, his art seeks to uplift, opening pathways of renewal and allowing a quiet, provisional sense of hope to emerge.
The core of his work is the idea of the journey or the transition. This narrative is a poignant portrayal transcending literal interpretation but inevitably establishes correlations to concrete changes in the wake of an anthropocentric globalization. These transhistorical motives allude to moments of relocation or displacement—whether experienced by travelers or fugitives—and symbolize a universal force of uprootment, whether human-induced or not.
Henneken does not hesitate to reference existing imagery, reinterpreting it through his own lens. By drawing these parallels, he crafts a compelling commentary on the cyclical nature of human migration and the collective struggle for continuity—both in the physical and psychological realms.
Embracing the inevitability of change, his work stands as a testament to transformation as an essential force of existence. His visual language flows with the rhythms of life, interwoven with cultural symbols, archetypes, and spiritual elements that form the foundation of his artistic vision.
Text by Rudolph von Weust