*1947 Wittenberg/Elbe – lives in Hamburg

Gustav Kluge is a loner. Disregarding trends and movements in art, for 40 years he has been working on his oeuvre, which can be described as heavy, gloomy, contemplative, and uncompromising in its manner of expression.

The artist is interested in the interactions between the fundamental conditions of human existence and prevailing social relations. The essence of Kluge’s works is trying to capture the creative process in material. The physical and intellectual genesis of his works is manifest for the viewer.

Kluge grew up in Hanover and, following his stint of military service, he studied until 1972 at the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg under Gotthard Graubner, among others. In 1974, he co-founded an art gallery there called Produzentengalerie, where he exhibited his works regularly from 1977. After two years working as a secondary school teacher, he was employed as an assistant at the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg (1978–1985).

It was not until 1985, when he was in his 40s, that Kluge established himself as a freelance artist. From 1996 to 2014, Kluge was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe.

Available Works

Exhibitions with Gustav Kluge

Wochenschau

05.09. - 28.09.2019 WOCHENSCHAU Marwan 05.09. - 12.09. 2019 For Marwan, who worked with [...]

  • Wundersame Welten

Wundersame Welten

01.03. - 20.04.2019 WUNDERSAME  WELTEN "The absurd, presented with taste, evokes aversion and admiration." (Johann [...]

Grants and Awards

2008 Artist in residence, Raid Projects, Los Angeles | Artist in residence, deWillem3, Vlissingen (NL) | Käthe-Kollwitz-Award of Akademie der Künste Berlin

2005 Studiotermine im Beat Studio, Berlin, supported by Senat Berlin

2004-2005 Debut 004/005, exhibition/catalogue, supported by the ministry for culture, Baden-Württemberg

2004 Artist in residence, Centro Cultural Andratx, Mallorca

1997 Erasmusgrant at the Norwich School of Art and Design, Norwich

Solo Exhibitions (Selection)

2019 Spendhaus, Reutlingen, Museum Lothar Fischer, Neumarkt

2018 Horst-Janssen-Museum Oldenburg

2016 Galerie in der Stadtscheune Otterndorf

2014 Produzentengalerie Hamburg, Hamburg

2013 Kunstverein Wilhelmshöhe Ettlingen e. V., Ettlingen

2012 Wilhelm Hack Museum, Ludwigshafen

2011 Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

2007 Galerie Haas AG, Zurich

2006 Galerie Haas & Fuchs, Berlin | Kunsthalle Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven

2005 Galerie Marie-José van de Loo, München

2002 Klemens & Tanja Grundert Inc., New York

2000/2001 Kunsthalle Rostock; Städtisches Museum Leverkusen Schloß Morsbroich; Städtisches Museum Spendhaus Reutlingen; Kunstverein Göttingen

1999 Galerie Haas & Fuchs, Berlin

1997/1998 Kunsthalle zu Kiel; Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe

1997 Hamburger Kunsthalle; Städtische Galerie Moderner Kunst, Munich

1996 Kunstverein Göttingen

1995 Städtisches Kunstmuseum Spendhaus Reutlingen

1994 Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

1993 Kunstverein Herford

1992 Saarlandmuseum Saarbrücken | Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne

1991 Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

1990 Akira Ikeda Gallery Nagoya, Japan

1989 Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne

1987/1988 Bonner Kunstverein; Kunstverein in Hamburg; Badischer Kunstverein Karlsruhe

1987 Kunstverein Göttingen

1986 Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne | Spendhaus Reutlingen; Oldenburger Kunstverein

1984 Kunsthalle Hamburg

1983 Kunstverein Brühl

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