Wolfgang Günther

The work of Wolfgang Günther comprises drawing and painting. The search for fictitious situations and the intense confrontation with color and form are central elements of his work, in which often figurative scenes are interlinked with abstract compositions. In his newer works, figures and figure fragments appear increasingly: Knights, mythical creatures, aliens or monsters, embedded into mystical-abstract landscapes populate the canvas. The motifs evoke childrens drawings and comics and fulfill the same function: They do not depict reality, but carry us into fantasy and dream worlds, full of commentary on our daily life. Only a few of his works are clearly decipherable.

Especially the motif of the slightly helpless knight is pops up again and again. Hero and anti-hero at the same time, the knight stands for the contemporary human, for the uncertainty of human existence. On his travels he encounters very different people and situations, whom he meets partially with helplessness, partially with irony and humor.

The works come forth in a process of contemplation and control, in which the unforeseeable, the moment of chance, determines the outcome. It isn’t always clear form the start in which direction the work will evolve in its process of development. Thus, the artist experiments with different methods and techniques. For example, he uses very liquid colour and turns the pictures between the individual work steps. Together with other methods, like a quick and rough application of colour with a paintbrush or spray paint, he succeeds in creating a focused chaos. The partial overlap of various layers of colour bestow singular areas of the picture with a relief-like surface and emphasize the materiality of the painting. Thereby, some of his works show a vibrant colour palette, whereas others are held in more subtle, subdued colours. Despite the different working methods, one can make out a signature style: it is characterized by a dreamy and childishly playful atmosphere on one hand, on the other through a subtle, but poignant humor and a reflected handling of the medium of painting.

Curriculum vitae

*1990 in Munich
lives and works in Berlin, DE

www.wolfgangguenther.de

Education

2019-21 MFA – University of Fine Arts Hamburg, Class Prof. Werner Büttner, DE
2018 Erasmus-Semester, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Class Prof. Erwin Bohatsch, AT
2015-18 University of Arts Bremen, Class Prof. Katrin v. Maltzahn, DE

Solo and Two-Person Shows (selection)

2020	"Wolfgang Günther", Emde Gallery, Mainz, DE
2019	"YAWL“, Two-Person Show with Regine Schulz, Gängeviertel, Hamburg, DE
2018	"It’s Just A New Way Of thinking“, Two-Person Show with Mari-Lena Rapprich, Neuer Worpsweder Kunstverein, Worpswede, DE Vordiplom, Galerie Flut, University of Arts Bremen, DE

Group Shows (selection)

2020	Graduate Show, Class Prof. Werner Büttner, HfBK, Hamburg, DE "Max-Pechstein-Förderpreis“, Kunstsammlungen Zwickau Max-Pechstein-Museum, Zwickau, DE Annual Exhibition, Class Prof. Werner Büttner, University of Fine Arts Hamburg, DE DirecTV21, Class Prof. Werner Büttner, Kanisterraum, Hamburg, DE
2020	"Turn of the Tide", Futur3 Festival, Kiel, DE "erstbegehung / first ascent“, Emde Gallery, Mainz, DE "raus project“, vol. 1 - curated by Wolfgang Günther, Hamburg, DE Annual exhibition, Class Prof. Werner Büttner, University of Fine Arts Hamburg, DE
2019	"Home Sweet Home“ – visiting Ingeborg Wiensowski, Hamburg, DE "Grand Jus“, open studios Lerchenstraße, Hamburg, DE "Magische Dystopie“, with Sophia Leitenmayer, Conrad Hübbe, MOM Art Space, Hamburg, DE
2018	"CONSTRUCTED REALITIES“, o.k. – Terrain, Hamburg, DE "RICE AND FALL“, studio Philipp Dachsel, Wolfgang Günther, Vienna, AT "Say Shibboleth“, Class Prof. Katrin von Maltzahn, Galerie Oqbo, Berlin, DE "Atmosphärisch instabil“, tête Galerie, Berlin, DE "Blick hinter die Kulissen“, finalists Max-Ernst-Scholarship, Galerie am Schloss, Brühl, DE
2017	"zip“, Class Prof. Katrin von Maltzahn, University of Arts exhibition space, Dechanatstraße, Bremen, DE "SEMI;COLON“, with Alice Gericke, Vincent Kück, Galerie Flut, Bremen, DE "Making Marks“, Audan Kunststiftung, Berlin, DE
2016	"Zwei Meter unter Null“, Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven, DE