Lothar Hempel (born 1966 in Cologne) is a German artist based in Berlin. He attended Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 1987 to 1992.

Artistic practice

Hempel transforms the exhibition space into a stage on which the visitor becomes an actor in a story full of cross-references and contradictions. The works are at once the synopsis, the set, the characters and the props of a play. They represent the different parts of a narrative created out of references to German history, psychology, Greek tragedy, cinema, music, political and social history, neurology, and modern dance, for instance.. Hempel borrows a number of different styles and strategies, whether invented by Dada, Constructivism, the Bauhaus or Joseph Beuys. He uses visual metaphors by incorporating images or found objects.

Exhibition history

In 2007 Hempel's work was the subject of the retrospective exhibition 'Alphabet City' curated by Florence Derieux at Le Magasin, Grenoble. Museum exhibitions include Casanova, The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin (2008); Concentrations 42, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas (2002), and Propaganda, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (2002). Lothar Hempel's work has been included in the exhibitions Heaven, Athens Biennale (2009), Le Song D’un Poete, Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes (2009); Beaufort 03, Triennial for Contemporary Art, Blankenberge (2009); 7th Gwangju Biennial (2008); Pale Carnage, Arnolfini, Bristol and DCA, Dundee (2007); Imagination becomes Reality. Werke aus der Sammlung Goetz, ZKM – Museum für Neue Kunst, Karlsruhe (2007). Hempel has exhibited regularly since 1991, during which time his work has been seen in exhibitions at art institutions, among them: the Venice Biennale; Tate Liverpool, ICA, London; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; MoMA PS1, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Portikus, Frankfurt am Main; Secession, Vienna; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Solo Exhibitions 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1994 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1994 1992

Galleries

Lothar Hempel is represented by Art:Concept, Paris; Giò Marconi Gallery, Milan; Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin/Oslo; Anton Kern Gallery, New York; Stuart Shave/Modern Art, London, and Casado Santapau Gallery, Madrid.

Selected Collections

Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway David Roberts Art Foundation, London Centre national des arts plastiques, Paris, France Fondazione Morra Greco, Naples, Italy Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin, Italy FRAC Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France FRAC Limousin, Limoges, France FRAC des Pays de la Loire, Carquefou, France Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst GfZK, Leipzig, Germany Honart Museum / Ebrahim Melamed Collection, Tehran, Iran Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA Sammlung Goetz, Munich, Germany The Saatchi Gallery, London Zabludowicz Collection, London