Johannes Daniel is a German artist living in Leipzig who creates large graphic paintings depicting fragmented human figures. He paints dreamy liquid worlds through flowing lines and pastel colors that are contrasted with harder graffiti and urban aesthetics. Daniel's artistic process involves collaging drawings, texts, and photos. He achieves a layered effect through a unique interaction of painting and digital manipulation. He photographs his work during the painting process and then digitally overlays the images to carefully plan his next steps. This mutual process between painting and digital collage allows him to refine and evolve his pieces, creating a harmonious mix of the digital and the tangible. Daniel's work is influenced by his extensive archive of collected material, including song lyrics, poetry, magazines, fashion, photos, and music videos. This diverse range of influences gives his work a contemporary and versatile appearance. Daniel's process is deeply intertwined with his daily visual experiences, both in the digital and real world. By integrating elements from various sources he encounters daily, he constructs artworks that are rich in context and modern in feel. Thus, his work is not only a reflection of his creative process but also a commentary on the multifaceted nature of contemporary visual culture. In his latest exhibition, “Platinum Tears,” Daniel explores the conditions of the ‘male gaze’ through his fragmented figures. His compositions invite viewers to recognize and reflect on the culturally embedded objectification in the media. By creating figures that are male and female hybrids, he disrupts traditional viewing conventions. These hybrid figures challenge the viewer's perception and stimulate a more nuanced understanding of identity and representation. With this approach, Daniel not only critiques the ‘male gaze’ but also opens up new possibilities for how we perceive and engage with images.