KP Brehmer. Real Capital-Production
25 September to 30 November 2014
KP Brehmer (1938–97) found new ways to visualise global capitalism which are of increasing relevance today. In collaboration with his Estate, this exhibition presents drawings, prints, paintings, films, objects and publications, many of which have never been exhibited before. This is the first solo exhibition of Brehmer's work in the UK.
The earliest works in the exhibition are associated with Capitalist Realism, often conflated with Pop Art, which artists including Brehmer, Konrad Lueg, Sigmar Polke and Gerhard Richter developed through René Block's gallery in Berlin between 1964 and 1971.
From West Berlin, Brehmer confronted the visual regimes of the Cold War, interpreting the city's double life of socialism and capitalism. Using common information systems as templates – figures and charts from educational books and magazines, maps of racism and fascism and graphics from sociological studies – he linked data-management to the operations of capitalism, and anticipated much of the effects of its globalisation familiar today. In sympathy with (though not a member of) the Deutsche Kommunistische Partei when it was banned in West Germany, he authored his work using the initials of his first names, Klaus Peter.
Brehmer sought ways to mass distribute his work, using his early training in graphics and printmaking to address the commodification of art. He also co-founded the co-operative gallery Vorsetzen in Hamburg, where he taught at the Art Academy until his death in 1997.
The exhibition is curated by Doreen Mende. A fully illustrated publication, the first in English on the artist, with texts by Jürgen Becker, René Block, KP Brehmer, Mark Fisher, Doreen Mende and Kerstin Stakemeier will follow this exhibition.
Selected texts
Events
Schriftproben zur Bestimmung der Sehschärfe [Type Specimens for Testing Vision], 1976
Photograph by Eva Herzog
Exhibition view
Photograph by Eva Herzog
Walkings 1–6, 1970
16mm transferred to DVD, 20 minutes
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin, and Common Film Produktion, Helmut Wietz, Berlin
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Rosa Luxemburg, 1973
Made in collaboration with exhibition visitors, 1973
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Messungen am Gesicht des Volkes Kulturzentrum Bonn (Konzept) [Measurements on the Face of the People: Cultural Centre Bonn (Concept)], 1977
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Realkapital–Produktion [Real Capital– Production], 1974
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Made for Art into Society–Society into Art: Seven German Artists, Instituteof Contemporary Arts, London, 1974
Bedeutungsspektrum des Begriffes ‘Polizei’ [Spectrum of Meanings of the Term ‘Police’], 1978
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Rohstoffpreise für Gold Monats-Höchst und Tiefstkurse Index Juli 78 [Raw Material Prices for Gold Monthly High and Lowest Share Prices July 1978 Index], 1980
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Italien (2) (Lohnstückkosten Handelsbilanz-Defizit) [Italy (2) (Unit Labour Costs Trade Balance-Deficit)], 1977
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Ohne Titel [Untitled], 1975
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Die iberische Halbinsel zeigt einfache Umrisse [The Iberian Peninsula Reveals Simple Outlines], undated [1970s]
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Kultur [Culture], 1974
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Sichtweiten über der Po-Ebene (Mailand) [Views over the Po Valley (Milan)], 1978
Federal Republic of Germany – Collection of Contemporary Art, Courtesy Kunsthalle Hamburg
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Braunwerte [Shades of Brown], 1968/1971
Art intermedia Edition Cologne, edition 5/100, 1971
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Briefmarken [Stamps], 1966-70
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Camp Fire Girls, 1967
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
US Postage, 1970
US AIR, 1967
Kennedy, 1966
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Deutsches Reich/Überdruck [German Reich/Overprint], 1967
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Auswahlbeutel Kiloware [Kiloware Assorted Bag], 1967
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Brief Nr. 7 [Letter No. 7], 1968–69
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
SeeleundGefühleinesArbeiters, Whitechapel Version [Soul and Feelings of a Worker, Whitechapel Version], 1978
Made for 'Thirteen Degrees East: Eleven Artists Working in Berlin', Whitechapel Gallery, London, 1978.
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Seele und Gefühl eines Arbeiters (Materialsammlung 2) [Soul and Feelings of a Worker (Collection of Materials 2)], 1978–81
Materialsammlung Seele und Gefühl eines Berliner Arbeiters am 27.1.–1.2. 1975 [Soul and Feelings of a Berlin worker, 27/1–1/2 1975], 1978–80
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Darstellung II: Arbeiter im Ruhrgebiet (1. Anteil der Arbeiter unter den Erwerbstätigen, 2. Vermögensverteilung, 3. Gesinnungsprofile der Arbeiter 1969– 1975) [Chart II: Workers in the Ruhr(1. Proportion of Working Class Among the Employed 2. Distribution of Wealth 3. Workers’ Attitude Profiles 1969– 1975)], 1975
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Ideale Landschaft [Ideal Landscape], installation view
Modell Ideale Landschaft (Ausschnitt) [Model: Ideal Landscape (detail)], 1968
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Works from the series Ideale Landschaft [Ideal Landscape], installation view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Farbmusterbuch Ideale Landschaft (Volkausgabe) [Colour Sample Book: Ideal Landscape (People’s Edition)].
Published by Galerie René Block, Berlin, 1968
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Eva Herzog
Exhibition view
Photograph by Eva Herzog
Ohne Titel [Untitled], 1975
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Start 3, 1968
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Aufsteller: Ohne Titel [Display: Untitled], 1965
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Hommage à Berlin [Homage to Berlin], 1965
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Clockwise from left
Schachtel 6 [Box 6], 1966, Schachtel ‘Für Beuys’ [Box ‘For Beuys’], 1965, and Schachtel [Box], 1966
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Schachtel 6 [Box 6], 1966
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Schachtel ‘Für Beuys’ [Box ‘For Beuys’], 1965
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Aufsteller 25. Das Gefühl zwischen Fingerkuppen... [Display 25. The Feeling Between Fingertips...], 1967
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Trivialgrafik [TrivialGraphics]
exhibition catalogue published by Galerie René Block, Berlin, 1965
StampBox, 1966
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Aufsteller 20/EYE-CREAM 1 [Display 20/EYE-CREAM 1], 1966
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Schachtel [Box], undated [1960s]
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Left: Anteile der Beschäftigten im öffentlichen Dienst je Einkommensklasse nach Dienst [Proportion of Employed in the Public Sector per Income Bracket According to Service], undated (1970s)
Right: Gliederung der Erdteile [Outline of the Continents], undated (1970s)
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Eva Herzog
Farbmuster Airblue – Bloodred [Colour Sample Airblue – Bloodred], 1967–70
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Korrektur der Nationalfarben, Gemessen an der Vermögensverteilung [Correction of National Colours, Measuredby Distribution of Wealth], 1972
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Flags for the States 1867/1868, 1976
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Mecca Map for Wall Street, 1977
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Ausreichend versorgte Teile der Welt [Parts of the World with Sufficient Resources], 1975
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Farbengeographie 7, Lokalisierung von Rotwerten [Colour Geography 7: Location of Shades of Red], 1972–73
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith
Farbengeographie 5, Lokalisierung von Rot/Rosa [Colour Geography 5: Location of Red/Pink], 1971
Estate of KP Brehmer, Berlin
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith