HOUSE TOUR #4, February 2024
Insight to the Depot
Manfred Bartling – Youth Follows the Path of Hope: Symbolic Painting with Social Depth at Haus Kunst Mitte
Dear friends of Haus Kunst Mitte,
For the fourth edition of our blog series HOUSE TOURS, we ventured into the painting archive of our institution to spotlight a special work by Manfred Bartling, the late co-founder of Haus Kunst Mitte. The chosen painting is exemplary of Bartling’s socially critical and political engagement, which defined his artistic practice over more than five decades.
Manfred Bartling, Die Jugend geht den Weg der Hoffnung (Youth takes the path of hope), 1975, Mischtechnik auf Leinwand, 106 x 75 cm, Asyl der Kunst Stiftung
Titled “Die Jugend geht den Weg der Hoffnung” (Youth Follows the Path of Hope), the painting was created in 1975 and exhibited in the 2023 show Between Two Places at Haus Kunst Mitte. In this medium-sized work, Bartling depicts a young man with shoulder-length black hair. He wears loose-fitting jeans and a white tank top, through which black curly chest hair is visible. A bright red flower sits on his chest. The man ascends a red staircase that stretches upward into a deep, almost black background. The scene clearly takes place at night, underscored by the dark color palette.
One striking detail is that the young man is blindfolded. In his left hand, he clutches a green book tightly to his chest, while in his right, he holds a burning candle emitting a green glow—a detail as unusual as it is symbolic. Bartling’s expressive brushwork and the interplay between abstract color fields and sharply defined strokes create a powerful visual tension. The visible brushstrokes, a signature element of Bartling’s oeuvre, enhance the expressive quality of the composition.
Stylistically, the man’s hairstyle and clothing evoke the late 1970s, and the green book along with the green candle may reference the emerging environmental movement. In January 1980, the Green Party was founded in Karlsruhe. Less well-known is that artist Joseph Beuys was a founding member and even designed an election poster, encouraging Andy Warhol—who had no direct ties to German politics—to create one as well.
Bartling’s painting unfolds through a series of contradictions and open questions: Why is the young man lighting his path with a candle if he cannot see? Why is the flame green? Why does the staircase ascend—and why is it red? The candle, a symbol of life, spirituality, and transience, is a recurring motif throughout art history. In color theory, green stands for hope, peace, and a connection to nature. The red staircase may symbolize the opposite—danger, passion, or struggle.
The painting’s title, Youth Follows the Path of Hope, provides a key interpretive clue. Bartling rarely titled his works, making this choice especially meaningful. The young man appears to stand at a crossroads. His blindfold suggests a disconnection from external influences; instead, he relies on internal orientation, indicating a spiritual quest or a conscious act of self-location. The green candle not only lights his physical path but may also represent moral clarity or inner guidance. Climbing the red staircase becomes a metaphor for a difficult but purposeful journey. Despite solitude and uncertainty, the young man seems determined to pursue a path that embodies hope.
With this painting, Manfred Bartling demonstrated his ability to unite social and political commentary, personal experience, and symbolic imagery into a deeply moving visual language. The work stands not only as a historical document of its time but also as a timeless reflection on the role of youth, the search for identity, and the tension between idealism and reality.
Warm regards,
Your Haus Kunst Mitte Team