Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
30 June to 18 September 2016
This exhibition – alongside its companion exhibition Undoolay, which was held earlier this year at Artists Space, New York – is the largest and, surprisingly for so significant an artist, amongst the first surveys to date for Lukas Duwenhögger (born in Munich 1956, lives in Istanbul). It includes paintings, installations, collages and objects made over more than thirty years.
Duwenhögger’s figurative paintings conjure his subjects into situations and worlds that are inventively adorned, allusive, anachronistic and compelling. As much as a painter, Duwenhögger is a designer and a fabulist. Most of his subjects are treated with love; when depicted in imaginary portraits they are poised and self-sufficient, while together, often homosocially, they seem engaged in private conversation and shared understandings. Events, allegories and narratives are dispersed over an even, democratic, picture plane. Duwenhögger’s figuration is a deliberate confrontation with high cultural mores, with an awareness of the loaded history of that form but an avoidance of heavy-handed references.
Selected texts
Good Bye My Lovely, 2008
Enamel on MDF
Collection Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Athens
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Poster with Mimosa, 1999
For ‘Prinzenbad’, Kunstverein in Hamburg, 2004
Design: Lukas Duwenhögger
Courtesy of the artist
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
The Celestial Teapot, 2007
Proposal for a memorial site for the persecuted homosexuals of National Socialism in Berlin
Polystyrene, wood, paint
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
Garten Am See [Lakeside Garden], 1995
Oil on canvas
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Asdrubale, 1989
Oil on canvas
Collection Michael Benevento, Los Angeles
Bedava, 2001-03
Oil on canvas
Collection Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Athens
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Foreground:
The Celestial Teapot (cross section), 2007
Oil on canvas
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Lukas Duwenhögger and Julian Göthe
Eine Kleine Kantate [A Little Cantata], 1992/2004
Mechanical puppet play: painted dolls, chandelier, framed photo collage, sound, slide projection
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Lukas Duwenhögger and Julian Göthe
Eine Kleine Kantate [A Little Cantata], 1992/2004
Mechanical puppet play: painted dolls, chandelier, framed photo collage, sound, slide projection
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Lukas Duwenhögger and Julian Göthe
Eine Kleine Kantate [A Little Cantata], 1992/2004
Mechanical puppet play: painted dolls, chandelier, framed photo collage, sound, slide projection
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Lukas Duwenhögger and Julian Göthe
Eine Kleine Kantate [A Little Cantata], 1992/2004
Mechanical puppet play: painted dolls, chandelier, framed photo collage, sound, slide projection
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Lukas Duwenhögger and Julian Göthe
Eine Kleine Kantate [A Little Cantata], 1992/2004
Mechanical puppet play: painted dolls, chandelier, framed photo collage, sound, slide projection
Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Foreground:
Soft G – Interior, 2001
Lamp, table, keys, newspaper
Courtesy of the artist
Background:
José Mujica, 2016
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
José Mujica, 2016
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
One Rehearsal for Four Plays, 1996
Oil on canvas, cotton cushion, wood, bench, four paintings (Flair; It Might Be Different; The Mauve Brush; Butter Cups)
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Birds of Istanbul, 1999
Oil on panel
Private Collection, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Herren Schneiderei [Men's Tailoring], 1985
Oil on canvas
Collection Theis, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Innuendo, 1997
Oil painting, embroidered pillow, thread of pearls, glass, sand, commode, cassette recorder, sound
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Innuendo, 1997 (detail)
Oil painting, embroidered pillow, thread of pearls, glass, sand, commode, cassette recorder, sound
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Innuendo, 1997 (detail)
Oil painting, embroidered pillow, thread of pearls, glass, sand, commode, cassette recorder, sound
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Innuendo, 1997
Oil painting, embroidered pillow, thread of pearls, glass, sand, commode, cassette recorder, sound
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Innuendo, 1997 (detail)
Oil painting, embroidered pillow, thread of pearls, glass, sand, commode, cassette recorder, sound
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
The End of the Season, 2007-08
Oil on canvas
Private Collection, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
The End of the Season, 2007-08
Oil on canvas
Private Collection, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Perusal of Ill-Begotten Treasures, 2003
Oil on canvas
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Promises, Promises, 1995
Oil on canvas
Private Collection, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
Entry for an Urban Renewal Competition, Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine Alle, 1987
Watercolour on paper, four panels
Courtesy Rodeo, London and Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Room for the Student with a Sense for Beautiful Things, 2002
Curtains, poles, sofa, table
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
The Go-Between, 1999
Oil on panel, papier-mâché, silk, wood, wool
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller (panel),
and Collection Konstantinos Papageorgiou (swallow).
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
The Go-Between, 1999
Oil on panel, papier-mâché, silk, wood, wool
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller (panel),
and Collection Konstantinos Papageorgiou (swallow).
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Balthasar, 2002
Oil on canvas on panel
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Chéri, 1999
Oil on canvas
Private Collection, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Voie de Fleurs (sans Pleurs), 1999
Leporello with original photographs
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Henry James, 1995
Oil on canvas
Collection Konstantinos Papageorgiou, Athens
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
San Remo, 1994
Oil on canvas
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Study in Green, 1997
Oil on canvas
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
Bus Stop, 2006
Oil on canvas
Courtesy Metro Pictures, New York and Private Collection
Study in Green, 1997
Oil on canvas
Collection Alexander Schröder, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Bus Stop, 2006
Oil on canvas
Courtesy Metro Pictures, New York and Private Collection
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Rezalet – Impertinence, 1998
Oil on canvas
Collection Carole Lainoff, New York
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Exhibition view
Lukas Duwenhögger. You Might Become a Park
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
Waiting to Move, 1999
Oil on canvas
Collection Sabeth Buchmann, Berlin
Giorgio, 2000
Oil on canvas
Collection Charles Asprey, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Caspar, 2001
Oil on panel
Collection Daniel Buchholz and Christopher Müller, Cologne
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Melchior, 2002
Oil on canvas on panel
Collection Jill and Dennis A. Roach, Los Angeles
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Probleema, 1995
Wooden shed, five paintings, oil on canvas
Courtesy Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Probleema, 1995
Wooden shed, five paintings, oil on canvas
Courtesy Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Probleema, 1995
Wooden shed, five paintings, oil on canvas
Courtesy Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Probleema, 1995
Wooden shed, five paintings, oil on canvas
Courtesy Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Probleema, 1995
Wooden shed, five paintings, oil on canvas
Courtesy Malmö Konstmuseum, Sweden
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Can Egypt have democracy?, 2013
Collage on paper
Courtesy of the artist and Rodeo, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
The Hustler, 1986
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist
Lost in Music, 1986
Oil on canvas
Courtesy of the artist
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
From left to right:
State of Affairs, 1982-3
Collage on paper
Courtesy of the artist and Rodeo, London
Konsomatriz with Reluctant Client, 1980
Collage on paper
Courtesy of the artist and Rodeo, London
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Botanischer Garten [Botanical Garden], 1992
Oil on canvas
Collection Sternweiler, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Poster for ‘Undoolay’, Artists Space, New York 2016
Design: Lukas Duwenhögger
Photo by Marcus J. Leith
Poster with Host with Champagne, 1992
For ‘Moments’, group show at MD72 Berlin, 2008
Design: Studio Manuel Raeder
Courtesy Galerie Neu, Berlin
Photo by Marcus J. Leith