Steve Viezens

Painting
Work on Paper
Prints

Text

Steve Viezens is not afraid of breaking taboos. He walks the borderline between painting and parody, a Helge Schneider of the young Leipzig scene. His light-hearted punch-lines provoke the serious connoisseur: Is it suitable to laugh at paintings? Viezens seems to be aiming for the ridiculous. He is taking a risk: if you come across as too entertaining, you are running danger of not to being taken serious. The painter plays the clown, puts on a cardborard nose, dresses up Tischbein`s Italian Goethe as a harlequin and puts Watteau`s >Gilles< on stage. Watteau´s Comedia dell´Arte character´s apperance is probably no accident in this context: it is a figure that Viezens is likely to identify with. However, he places a heavy build hippopotamus skull on his shoulder, the gaping mouth in opposition to the inward look on Watteau´s tragic hero´s face. This is a celebration of nonsense and reversal. In Viezens paintings the features of the world are grotesquely distorted. Viezens takes from the stocks of art history, picking up poses and physiognomies by Holbein, Velasquez and Van Dyk, but the same time he also uses, paints over and alienates magazines artworks with the Nonchalance of a Jeff Koons.

Jan Nicolaisen

Biography
  • 1981 born in Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz)
    1999-2005 Studies of painting at the Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig
    2005 Diploma in Painting (Prof. Rolf Münzner)
    2005-2008 Master studies at the Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig, Prof. Sighard Gille
  • since 2018 Professorship and head of the printing workshops at the Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg
    lives and works in Nuremberg 

Solo shows

  • 2019 b-ware (with Julius Hofmann), Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
    2018     Landscape with Spots, Galerie Hübner + Hübner, Frankfurt am Main
  • 2017 Caprichos, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
  • 2014 Budenzauber, Villa Katzorke, Essen
    Zur Not fressen die Fliegen auch Teufel, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
    2011 I want to trade my dog for one of your pigs, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
    2010 Schwarzwald, Im Namen des Raumes, Berlin
    2009 Entweder es war dunkel oder es hat geregnet, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
    2008 Exhibition of master students, Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig
    2007 The teardrop explodes, city gallery Schwaz (Austria)
    Malerei und Zeichnung, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
    2005 Mann oder Maus, diploma exhibition, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig

Group shows

  • 2023 Überdruck, Kaisertrutz Görlitz, Kaisertrutz (Germany)
  • 2022 Fantasma, Kunstverein im Schloss, Abtsgmünd-Untergröningen (Germany)
  • 2021 Aus jedem Dorf ein Hund, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
    2019     Druck 19, Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus, Schwandorf
    Paradox, Museum für Druckkunst, Leipzig
    Circlus, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
    Let's print in Leipzig 2, Museum für Druckkunst, Leipzig
    2018     Ereignis Druckgrafik, Tapetenwerk, Leipzig
  • 18th German International Graphics Triennial, Kunstverein Frechen
  • Paradox, Museum für Druckkunst, Leipzig
  • Vierundzwanzigmaldreißig, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
  • 2017 Ladder to Heaven, Neuer Pfaffenhofener Kunstverein, Pfaffenhofen (Germany)
  • Pentomino #4, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
  • 6th Symposium for Relief Printing, Carpe Plumbum, Leipzig
  • Artists of the Gallery, Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
  • 2016 Sommerausstellung, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
  • Revelation. Leipzig Artists and Religion, Altes Rathaus, Lutherstadt Wittenberg
  • Sein. Antlitz. Körper, St. Canisius Church, Berlin
  • 2015 Thaler auf AEG, Auf AEG, Nuremberg
  • Vertraute Gesellschaft, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
    Gute Kunst? Wollen! SØR Rusche Collection Oelde/Berlin, Auf AEG, Nürnberg
  • Pentomino, Thaler Originalgrafik, Leipzig
    2014 New visual worlds from Leipzig, Heike Moras Art, London
    BGL#1, Kesselhaus, Bergisch Gladbach / Cologne
    Entwicklungen - touring exhibition of the Sächsisch-Bayerisches Städtenetz, Bayreut / Chemnitz / Zwickau
    2013 Tierstücke - Dutch animal painting of the 17th century in dialogue with contemporary painting, SØR Rusche Collection Oelde/Berlin, Museum Abtei Liesborn, Liesborn
    Entwicklungen - touring exhibition of the Sächsisches-Bayerisches Städtenetz, Hof / Plauen
    2012 Eros und Thanatos (SØR Rusche Collection), Werkschauhalle Leipzig
    2011 Convoy Leipzig, Biksady Galeria, Budapest
    Meissen art Campus, Werkschauhalle, Leipzig
    16. International Graphic Triennial Frechen, art association Frechen
    After the Goldrush - Malerei aus Leipzig und Düsseldorf, art association Speyer
    Lubok - Künstlerbücher aus Leipzig, Museum of art Reutlingen
    Dürer und Co. reloaded, Museum of art Reutlingen
    2010 Lubok - Künstlergrafik aus Leipzig, art association Essenheim
    2009 Belgische Pralinen, Galerie Antje Wachs, Berlin
    Von der Wand in den Mund, Vorstadt 14, Zug
    Druckkunst x 15, Museum of print art Leipzig
    2008 18. Graphic Symposium, Hohenossig
    Drawcula, Galerie Kleindienst
    Drei, Galerie Antje Wachs, Berlin
    2005 Neues aus Leipzig, Galerie Hübner, Frankfurt
    12. Annual exhibition Leipzig, Städtisches Kaufhaus, Leipzig
    Kunstraum am See, Leipzig
    Nur ein Traum, Galerie Antje Wachs, Berlin

Bibliography

  • 2012 'Die Fälschung/ il falso', publishing house: List Paperback Publisher, texts by Ulrich Tukur
    2011 'Despite moments of clarity, there is no ''ism'' in this book.', from Francesca Gavin (100 New Artists. Francesca Gavin), English, publishing house: Laurence King (K), with an article about Steve Viezens
    2007 'Zuschau/Hinseh', with a text from Dr. Jan Nicolaisen, Publisher: Galerie Kleindienst, Leipzig
Exhibitions