11 Mar 2015

Michael Luther at Kunstverein Haus 8 e.V.

Michael Luther's devotion to painting is a calculated threat to superficiality. With masterly techniques he creates a bold realism that wants to penetrate the things themselves. Sublime colour landscapes, concrete architectural studies and space atmospheres with anthropomorphic qualities, miniaturisations and 'gargantuanism', light studies and self-reflections: Luther often sends his viewers into apparently uninhabited spaces and let them discover hidden images lurking beneath the surface for themselves.

With allegorical sophistication and open ambiguity Luther defies social exhaustion by experimenting and applying his artistic techniques to the subjects of the Old Masters. Guided by essential questions of life 'Who am I?', 'Where do I come from?', 'What am I doing?', Luther is bringing back forgotten issues of art history that have been lost at various times: Painting as a metaphysical act of self-assurance. Luther's previous work with monumental, hyper-realistic colour compositions of overwhelming sensuality, like 'Die große Liebe' (2001), or 'Colourado' (2005) or „The Art Foundation' (2005-6) has increased his reputation as a renowned artist since 2001.

Currently Michael Luther has got an invitation of the Global Art Affairs Foundation to the exhibition 'Personal Structures, Times, Space, Existence' during the Venice Biennale 2015. The group exhibition in the Pallazzo Bembo will be the official opening exhibition of the newly established 'European Cultural Centre'.

Further information: www.michael-luther.net

Biography: Michael Luther, art studies at the Hochschule der Künste, Berlin, painting class Prof. K.-H. Herrfurth, Master Student, 1997.
Scholarships / Awards: BMW – Scholarship for Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA, 1998 | Scholarships Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, 2003 | Celeste Painting Prize, 2009 |2013 Luther was on the Shortlist '100 Painters of Tomorrow' of the Beers.Lambert Contemporary gallery of the art book publisher Thames & Hudson, London.
Exhibitions (selection): 'pole position' (g), Kunstverein, Mannheim, 2004 | 'Colourado' (s), Kunstverein Ludwigshafen, 2005 | 'true colors' (g), Columbus Art Foundation, Ravensburg, 2006 | Wild Gallery 'Life worth dying for' (g), 2007 | 'INSIDE' (s), 2008. Art Fairs: Art Miami, USA, 2008 | Berliner Liste, 2008 | Toronto International Art Fair 2008 | Red Dot Fair, New York, 2008. In 2014 his gallery Lisa Norris in London invited him for a solo exhibition.
Collections: Museum Walter, Augsburg | Museum Bad Saulgau | Engen Museum | Sammlung Deutsche Bank | BMW Art Collection and various private collections.

The 'Kunstverein Haus 8' realizes the exhibition within the PA:KT program, sponsored by the 'Zukunftsprogramm Wirtschaft', the 'Ministerium für Justiz, Kultur und Europa des Landes Schleswig-Holstein' und dem 'Amt für Kultur und Weiterbildung der Landeshauptstadt Kiel'. With friendly support of the ART PACKER, Berlin.