Introduction

Since the early 20th century, Germany has been a rich field for artistic invention despite experiencing years of war, political upheaval, and social unrest. Germany has given home to and fostered some of the most important art movements in history, including the surrealistic Neue Gruppe, the groundbreaking Bauhaus School of Arts and Craft, and the trailblazing Expressionist movement. The goal of Artsper is to highlight the wide range of talent that exists among German artists, from up-and-coming artists to seasoned contemporary artists who are always pushing the envelope. As the author Günter Grass states, Germans who came of age immediately after the Second World War did so “with brick dust between their teeth”.

1. Richter Gerhard

Richter Gerhard is the founding father of German contemporary art, is known for his surrealist style and hazy portraits. Born in 1932, he attended art school and achieved the highest price ever paid for a painting by a living artist at Sotheby’s in 2015.

2. Thomas Schütte

Thomas Schütte studied under Gerhard Richter at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. He critiqued Minimalist and Conceptual art movements and created striking intellectual and aesthetically appealing works. His work is held in the Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, and Art Institute of Chicago. In 2016, he opened a private museum in Hombroich, Germany.

3. Jonathan Meese

German artist Jonathan Meese creates a diverse range of art, blending actionism and expressionism. His work includes performance, installations, painting, and sculpture, incorporating historical, legendary, and science fiction allusions. Meese promotes the “dictatorship of art.

4. Albert Oehlen

The German artist rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of Hamburg’s emerging art community. In his work, Oehlen employs impulse and eclecticism. He frequently begins with a set of guidelines or structural restrictions and then uses his fingers, brushes, collage, computers, and collage as his tools. Some have questioned whether the increased demand for his work in the upscale segment of the art market in recent years will alter how his well-known modern art is viewed.

5. Simon Röhlen

Also known as KEF!, is a German-born abstract street artist and designer. He views creating art as a spiritual endeavour and draws influence from Buddhism, philosophy, and the natural world. His work is fluid, happy, and exudes positivity with its swirling, free-flowing, and delicately abstract lines that resemble those in nature. The artist employs terms like harmony, tranquility, and mesmerising to characterise his artwork. His compositions have a lot of lines and curves that are accentuated by subtle colouring in between the bold black outlines.

6. Anselm Kiefer

Anselm Kiefer is a German contemporary artist, explores myth, memory, and communal history using materials like charred books, ashes, and branches. His work draws inspiration from National Socialist architecture, post-Holocaust poetry, and Cold War politics. Christie’s broke the global record for selling one of his pieces in 1983 for $3.6 million. Kiefer’s diverse materials range from textiles to lead, concrete, and glass.

7. Dana Fiona Armour

Dana Fiona Armour is a German artist, combines science and art, creating minimalistic visuals for her latest project, MC1R, which uses gene-editing technology. She was invited as the first artist in residence at Cellectis, a genome engineering company, and exhibited at Collection Lambert in Avignon, France.

8. Julia Hariri

Julia Hariri a Berlin-based artist, focuses on the perception and treatment of women in society. She celebrates the female psyche, physique, and spirit, aiming to emphasise strength, unity, and appreciation through abstract forms and compositions.

9. Günther Förg

Günther Förg was born in 1952 in Füssen, was a pioneer in multidisciplinary art, rebelling against Modernism in the post-war era. His paintings, known for their saturated solid colours, often addressed the political atmosphere of his time. Förg’s abstract monochrome paintings, influenced by Sol LeWitt and Blinky Palermo, defied the figurative style dominating West German art in the 1980s.

10. Miriam Klement

Miriam Klement is a rising artist from Germany, studied political economy and biology before becoming a teacher and teacher in education and artistic practice. Her interests include abstract and modern art, drawing inspiration from her travels in Europe, North Africa, and North America.

11. Tilman

Tilman is an abstract painter and curator known for creating aesthetically pleasing artworks, drawing inspiration from minimalism. He uses a reducing technique to create space for his discoveries. Tilman has performed in 79 group shows and 12 solo shows over the past 29 years, participating in one biennial and three art fairs. His artwork is housed in the CCNOA museum collection.

In addition to questioning the role of the artist in the creation of a work, these talented artists frequently work across several mediums to explore how bigger social and political issues are intertwined in our perception. They also share a desire to reject traditional ideas and limitations. Ensure that you visit a few of them while in Germany.

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