Looking at Bernhard Martin’s work, one thing is for sure: it’s difficult to define. He flows easily between painting and drawing, sculpture to installation. It is not only his mediums that are continuously changing; his personal style can become varied. Some works seem complete, others not, some are figurative and others favour abstraction, some are mundane made only with pencil while others dazzle with colour. This constant change creates a loss of coherence.
His work may lack political anxiety, but there is a simmering uneasiness where irony is dominant. In his paintings, Martin distorts his figures where violent scenes have a hidden sexuality. His simple sketches and geometric patterns compared with vivid collages and large psychedelic sculptures create a tight and claustrophobic atmosphere. Martin’s work is not there to pander to some aesthetic gratification; it is there to puzzle us and make us question the arbitrariness of it all.
Very few artists succeed in creating art that can encourage context and perception as well as the demonstration of something experimental. Martin’s work is dependent on spontaneity; on the fleeting of a moment’s mood. His art is refined and confident, surpassing any conscience of 'just playing' with his materials, subjects or intentions.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES Bernhard Martin (born in 1966, Hannover, Germany) lives and works in Berlin. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Kassel, Germany in 1989. His most recent solo exhibitions took place at ARARIO Gallery in South Korea, 2006 and Villa Arson, Nice in 2005. He has participated in numerous group shows in Zurich, Barcelona, Los Angeles, London, Dijon and elsewhere.
BERNHARD MARTIN Born in Hannover (Germany), 1966. Lives and works in Frankfurt.
Education
1993 Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin 1983 - 1989 Academy of Fine Arts, Kassel, Germany
Solo Exhibitions
2006 Mozarteum, Salzburg ARARIO Gallery, Cheonan, South Korea 2005 Villa Arson, Nice Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris 2004 Bahnhofsviertel, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg 2003 Gartencenter, Spencer Brownstone Gallery, New York My way home, Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery, Paris Drawings, Unlimited Contemporary Art Athens, Greece New works, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, France 2002 Ich zeige Ihnen gerne meinen Nassbereich, MAMCO Genève, Genf 2001 softcore, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim (*) PS.1, MOMA, New York Futterstadl, Galerie Voges + Deisen, Frankfurt am Main 2000 Puderdöschen, Spencer Brownstone Gallery, New York 1999 D`anys collaterals, Galerie Alejandro Sales, Barcelona (*) Members Only, Junge Kunst e.V., Wolfsburg (*) 1998 Untitled Job getting Image I, Galerie Almut Gerber, Köln Untitled Job getting Image II, Serge Ziegler Galerie, Zürich 1997 Health Pack, Galerie Voges + Deisen, Frankfurt am Main (*) 1996 Al Dente, ID-Galerie, Düsseldorf Passanten Herberge, ACP Galerie, Salzburg 1995 Ein Bad in der Menge, Galerie Siegfried Sander, Kassel (*) 1994 Holzwege, Galerie Voges + Deisen, Frankfurt am Main 1993 Martinator I, Museum Fridericianum, Kassel Die Anatomie des Dr. M., Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin 1992 B.M´s lento, poco presto, allegro, ID-Galerie, Düsseldorf (*) 1990 Fit mit B.Martin, Schloß Bellevue, Kassel Primavera Fotografica (mit S.Reusse), Galerie V. Bernat, Barcelona (*) 1989 Salon Martin, Galerie Conrads, Neuss 1988 Lachwut, Produzentengalerie, Kassel
Selected Group Exhibitions
2005 Security Check-Painting after Romanticism, curated by Florian Illies, Arndt+Partner, Zurich Max Ernst und die klassische Moderne, Kunsthalle Manheim Von Bild // zum Bild, museum der Moderne, Salzburg Passion beyond reason / Wallstreet One, curated by Gerold Miller and Gerwald Rockenschaub, Berlin Lichtkunst, ZKM, Karlsruhe 2004 Direkte Malerei, Kunsthalle Mannheim TV Today, Montevideo, Amsterdam The future has a silver lining, Migrosmuseum, Zurich 2003 Final Cuts, Union, London How high can you fly, Kunsthaus Glarus deutschemalereizweitausenddrei, Frankfurter Kunstverein (*) small works, Max Wigram projects, London cartoon, Riva Gallery, New York Lee 3 Tau Ceti Central Armory Show, Frankurter Kunstverein selected paintings, Max Wigram MW projects, London, UK 2002 Dark Spring, Ursula Blickle Stiftung, Kraichtal (*) Die Kunst des Festes, Brixen/ Südtirol (*) Né un 3 septembre, FRAC Bourgogne, Dijon 2001 Neue Welt, Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt am Main (*) over, Unlimited, Athen Tirana Biennale I, Tirana, Albanien (*)
