*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
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
