Jochen Mühlenbrink
Rohstoff
Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries is proud to present the first solo exhibition of works by Jochen Mühlenbrink (1980, Freiburg) in the gallery. The exhibition will provide a comprehensive catalogue with works from the exhibition, alongside a text written by German writer Patrick Sebastian Schmidt.
Mühlenbrink is known for his figurative paintings of everyday objects and situations, in which disasters, accidents or the threat of emergency occur. Amongst others, his paintings of snow-covered towns and houses are renowned in the Netherlands. The traditions of his artwork have evolved from the dry and quiet realism of Edward Hopper, later reinterpreted by painters such as Eric Fischl. Rather than focussing on hidden symbolism or painting stories, Mühlenbrink utilises elements of minimalism and surrealism to paint our perception of modern times. Both the perception of time as well as pictorial themes are important subject matters for Mühlenbrink.
In his new conceptual series ROHSTOFF, Mühlenbrink’s trompe-l’oeils play a subtle game with art history and painting culture in particular. What happens if you turn a painting around, away from the prepared canvas and thus the subject? What we see are a series of paintings from behind – we see the stretchers and staples at the edge of the canvas. Shadows are cast over the wooden frame and stretched canvas. Also light falls on the canvas and mixes with this man made, illusion of shadow. An illusion on an illusion.
Another series of paintings is focussed on pieces of cardboard, joined at the edges by ersatz, trompe-l’oeil tape. This series flirts with modernist minimal art by focussing on the monochrome gaps between the tape and the tape itself (also an important tool in minimal art). Finally, there’s a series of sculptures and painted cardboard boxes that are taped shut. Post packages, sent around the world – a series harking back to Christo and the legacy of surrealism.
Jochen Mühlenbrink graduated from the Kunstacademie in Dusseldorf in 2007 with Professor Markus Lűpertz. In 2010 he won the Főrderpreis fűr Malerei der OEVO, and in 2009 a retrospective of his work was exhibited at Kunstverein Heppenheim.
1980 born in Freiburg
2001–2007
Studium der freien Kunst an der Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
2007
Akademiebrief und Meisterschüler von Prof. Dr. Markus Lüpertz
Lives and work in Düsseldorf and Oldenburg
Solo Exhibitions
2011
Rohstoff, Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries Amsterdam
2010
Förderpreis für Malerei der OEVO, Oldenburg, Stadtmuseum Oldenburg
Mal Heur, FRISCH, Halle am Wasser, Berlin
2009
Rücksicht, Kunstverein Heppenheim
Stauraum, Tatjana Pieters Gallery, Gent (BE)
2008
Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt am Main, aus der Reihe Perspektiven Heutiger Malerei
Asphalt, Galerie Rupert Pfab, Düsseldorf
Stilleben, Onetwenty / Tatjana Pieters Gallery, Gent (BE)
2007
Neuschnee, Galerie Rupert Pfab, Düsseldorf
Tollwut, Onetwenty Gallery, Gent (BE)
J-pics vs. mpegs (mit Martin Denker), Torch Gallery, Amsterdam (NL)
2006
Sachliche Romanze, OneTwenty Gallery, Gent (BE)
IKE (Wer hat Angst vor Rot Blau Gelb), Atelierstipendium Bahnhof Eller, Düsseldorf
2005
Ausblick – Einblick, Galerie Frank Schlag & Cie., Essen
Blicksang, Galerie Ferdinand-Ude, Gelsenkirchen
Group Exhibitions
2010
Van Bommel van Dam Prijs 2010, Museum Van Bommel van Dam, Venlo (NL)
A la c'arte, Noordbrabants Musuem's-Hertogenbosch (NL)
2009
The unforgettable fire – 25 Years Torch Gallery, Kunsthal Rotterdam (NL)
Selection. Werke aus der Sammlung Biedermann, Museum Biedermann, Donaueschingen
Inventur. Zeitgenössische Radierung in Deutschland, Graphikmuseum Pablo Picasso, Münster
2008
Inventur. Zeitgenössische Radierung in Deutschland, Kunstverein Reutlingen
2007
KunststudentInnen stellen aus, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
Hotel Kerberos, KIT (Kunst im Tunnel) / Projekt der Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf
Triband (mit Martin Schepers und Gereon Krebber), KunstKlub Berlin
12 Artists from Germany, Dangerous Curve, Los Angeles (USA)
2006
Sommergewitter. Malerei und Zeichnung aus Düsseldorf und Berlin,
(mit Carola Ernst, Fabian Ginsberg, Martin Schepers, Martin Weidemann),
Galerie Ferdinand-Ude, Gelsenkirchen
2005
Naked Cities, The Agency Contemporary, London (GB) und OneTwenty Gallery, Gent (BE)
XIV. Deutsche Internationale Grafik-Triennale, Kunstverein Frechen
Gleiche Augenhöhe – Malerei aus Deutschland, Galerie Frank Schlag, Essen
2004
Kunstförderpreis LOVELLS (Preisträger), Düsseldorf
Emprise Art Award, Forum für Kultur und Wirtschaft, Düsseldorf und Museum Baden, Solingen