Jürgen Partenheimer


Jürgen Partenheimer is a German artist. Since coming to prominence through his participation in the Paris Biennial in 1980 and the Venice Biennial in 1986, his work has been shown internationally. His practice includes painting, drawing and sculpture, and draws on theory, poetry and prose. His art has been referred to as metaphysical realism.

Biography

Jürgen Partenheimer spent his childhood in Munich. Since 1968 studies in philosophy and the history of art at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany. 1970 scholarship to Brandeis University, Massachusetts, chooses to study fine art and history of art at the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. 1972 Artist in residence to the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art in Cuenca, Spain.1973 -graduates with MFA from UoA, Tucson, AZ. 1974 continues his studies at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. Dissertation- and research scholarship from the State of Bavaria for Musée d´Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France. PhD in art history with distinction at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany.
Moves to Düsseldorf. 1979 first solo exhibition at the Richard Demarco Gallery in Edinburgh. 1980 -1981 participates at the XI Paris Biennial, France and XVI São Paulo Biennial, Nucleus I, Brazil. 1982 National Endowment for the Arts with exhibition of workbooks and drawings at Franklin Furnace, New York. 1983–85 visiting artist to San Francisco Art Institute, California and distinguished visiting professor at the University of California at Davis. 1986 participates at XLII Venice Biennial. 1987–90 visiting artist to Rijksakademie van Beeldenden Kunsten in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Artist in residence to Fine Arts Work Centre, Provincetown, Massachusetts. 1991 writes his poetic manifesto “De coloribus - Notes on colour”, which is co-published by Hine Editions, San Francisco and Art-Book, Amsterdam. 1994 Partenheimer was part of 'A century of Artists' Books' at MOMA, a show curated by Riva Castleman. 1995 receives art critic’s award of the year for best show of the season in Madrid, Spain. 1997–1998 comprehensive solo exhibitions at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the IVAM Valencia and Kunsthalle Karlsruhe. 1999 invited to develop an exhibition of sculpture, painting and work on paper for the space of the Contemporary Art Museum CGAC in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 2000 first German contemporary artist to receive a retrospective at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Beijing and the Nanjing Museum in Nanjing, China.
Installs the sculpture „world axis“ in the „Forbidden City“ in Beijing. 2002 overview exhibition at the S.M.A.K. in Gent, Belgium, artist in residence to Ergo Pers, Gent; 2004-05 retrospective exhibitions at the Museum am Ostwall in Dortmund, Germany and the Pinacoteca Do Estado in São Paulo, Brazil. Awarded the Prize for Visual Arts by the Kulturstiftung Dortmund. Receives Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Guest of Honour at the German Academy-Villa Massimo in Rome, Italy and artist in residence to the Copan Building, São Paulo, Brazil. 2006 Artist in residence to Nietzsche-House in Sils-Maria, Switzerland. 2007 exhibits “Copan- Drawings” and “São Paulo Diary” at Pinacoteca Do Estado in São Paulo, Brazil. 2008 comprehensive survey exhibition at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham and Kunstmuseum Bonn. 2009 – 2011 site specific installations for Museum Chasa Jaura, Valchava, Kunsthalle zu Kiel, Mies van der Rohe Haus, Berlin and Nirox Project Space, Johannesburg. 2011 Artist in Residence to Nirox Foundation, South Africa. 2013 exhibition project „Schaustelle“, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich at Museum Mobile, Ingolstadt. 2014 receives the Audain Distinguished Residency Award, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver and exhibits „Das Archiv-The Archive“ at Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Deichtorhallen-Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver. Lives and works in Germany and Italy.

Selected Exhibitions 1980 - 2018