01 Dec 2014

Daniel Harms at BERLINARTPROJECTS

BERLINARTPROJECTS presents Daniel Harms' new work series 'Falsche Helden oder mutige Irre', which is the first showing worldwide. Daniel has let himself be inspired by eight old masters, namely Bacon, Beckmann, Caravaggio, Goya and Picasso, along with Pollock, Rubens and Schiele. He refers to his artistic process or technique as 'remastering' – Daniel deconstructs the originals and then 'remasters' both the content and the form into a new truly original piece of art. He thereby quotes without imitating. Using the collage-technique Daniel breaks conventions to form his new personal expressive style. Every single one of his large-scale paintings still is authentically Daniel Harms' work. Each work bears the mark of his own personal struggle with inner conflicts and they show the process the artist has gone through. This is especially remarkable when considering that the artist is self-tought and was socialized rather in the music scene and the nightlife of Hamburg. He came into contact with painting as an art form after feeling an inner need and urge to express himself visually. His partner, a former art student, early recognized his potential and encouraged him to take up art professionally. Daniel Harms instinctively selected his own personal teachers and 'heroes' and acquired his technique by going through a process of copying and finally overcoming their oeuvre.

Picasso for example uses the age-old concept of the Minotaur in his art by showing it as a dominant figure in the man-woman-relationship. In contrast, Harms adopts the motive, but depicts the Minotaur facing away from the woman, withdrawn, defiant and almost childlike. This places the motive in a modern-day context and reflects how a traditional motive is transformed in Daniel's inner mind.

The idea for the title 'Falsche Helden oder mutige Irre' derives from Stanley Kubrick's film 'Full Metal Jacket' and according to Harms characterizes the quoted masters, who during their lifetime where mistakenly seen as eccentrics, only gaining recognition as geniuses after their death.

BERLINARTPROJECTS supplies interested viewers with an artpaper containing photos of all the exhibited art. Marcus Wellmann has kindly reviewed Daniel's work, this can also be found in the artpaper.


Daniel Harms | born in Hamburg in 1980, has lived and worked in Berlin since 2007. After leaving school he trains to be a retail salesman, leaves home early and follows a fairly traditional pattern workwise. Six years pass before Daniel breaks out, quits his job and decides to become a 'Rock'n Roll artist'. He plays guitar in bands for several years and is active in the local music scene. After a serious accident he is unable to leave his bed for a year, supported by his girlfriend, an artist herself, he starts painting. Being a self-taught painter, his art has become expression and outlet for his inner emotions and own development. After 'Redux' and 'Hold Tight' 'Falsche Helden oder mutige Irre' is his third big series of works. Up to now his works have been shown especially in Berlin and Istanbul, where he was also represented at art fairs.