Biography

Thomas Schütte
(Born 1954)

Thomas Schütte was born in Oldenburg, Germany in 1954. He studied at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf until 1981. Schütte’s work is extremely diverse in medium and theme. His earlier works were mostly architectural models through which he commented on the role of the artist in society and on the art institution itself. Throughout the years his preoccupations about the human condition in general as well as the cultural, social and political elements of everyday life also merged within his work. This myriad of themes came to life through sculptures, prints, drawings, watercolors and even photographs that employed figuration as a pivotal means of expression, particularly in his works of the late 1980s and 1990s. Schütte is well known for a series of three monumental-scale anthropomorphic figures cast in aluminum entitled Large Ghosts, 1996 and trough which he explored the expressive potential of the human figure. He is also known for a series of sculptures and photographs entitled United Enemies, 1993 in which he comments on the contradictory nature of the human condition.

Thomas Schütte has exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Recent solo exhibitions of his work have been held in institutions such as the Museo de Arte Renia Sofia in 2010, the Haus der kunst in Munich in 2009 and the Kunstmuseum Winterthur in Switzerland in 2003. He has also participated in exhibitions in major institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Fondation Beyeler in Basel. Schütte participated in the 2005 Venice Biennale, where he was awarded the Golden Lion. His work has been featured in multiple publications. Thomas Schütte lives and works in Germany.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBTIONS
2010
Art and Exhibition Hall, Bonn
Donald Young Gallery, Chicago
Museo de Arte Renia Sofia
2009
Galerie Pietro Sparta, Chagny
Haus der kunst, Munich
2007/8
Fake/Function: Thomas Schütte Early Work, Henry Moore Institute traveling
to Kunstmuseum Lichtenstein Galerie Nelson, Paris
Last Casts, Some Etchings, New Watercolours, Frith Street Gallery
2006/07
Zeichnungen, Neues Museum, Nurnberg
2006
Produzentengalerie Hamburg, Germany
Konrad Fischer Galerie, Dusseldorf, Germany
Krankenhaus, Kabinett fur aktuelle Kunst, Bremerhaven, Germany
Works on Paper, De Pont Museum of Contemporary Art
Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden-Baden
Faggionato Fine Art, London
2005
One Man Houses, Marian Goodman, New York
Political Works, Museu de Arte Contemporanea, Serralves
Thomas Schütte, Galerie Friedrich, Basel
2004
Galerie Nelson, Paris, France
Carlier Gebauer, Berlin, Germany
Musée de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
K21, Düsseldorf, Germany
2003
Marian Goodman Gallery, New York,
Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2002
Low Tide Wandering, Frith Street Gallery, London
New Works, Tucci Russo Studio per l'Arte Contemporanea, Torino, Italy
2001
Thomas Schutte, Sammlung Goetz, München
Galerie Fischer, Düsseldorf
Frith Street Gallery, London
2000
Kabinet Overholland, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Schlosspark Wendlinghausen, Gemeinde Doerentrup
1999
Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
Bernier/Eliades, Athens
Marian Goodman Gallery, New York
DIA Center for the Arts II + III, New York
Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
1998
Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
Fundacao Serralves, Oporto
De Pont Foundation, Tilburg
DIA Center for the Arts I, New York
1997
Marian Goodman, New York
1996
Marian Goodman, New York
Gebauer und Günther, Berlin
1995 Jean Bernier Gallery, Athens
Lisson Gallery, London
Tucci Russo, Turin Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen
1994
Philip Nelson, Lyon, Paris
Kunsthalle, Hamburg Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart
Musée d'Art contemporain, Nimes
1993
Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
Marian Goodman, New York
1992
Konrad Fischer, Düsseldorf
Jean Bernier, Athens
Tucci Russo, Turin Frederica Inghilleri, Mailand
Vereeniging voor het Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst,Gent
1991
Philip Nelson, Lyon, Paris Kunstverein, Kassel
1990
Marian Goodman, New York
Kunsthalle, Bern ARC, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
1989
Marian Goodman, New York
Pietro Sparta, Chagney Musée de Calmecy, Calmecy
1988
Philip Nelson, Lyon, Paris Tucci Russo, Turin
Christian Stein, Milan Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden-Baden
1987
Konrad Fischer, Düsseldorf
Jean Bernier, Athens
Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp
Lichthof im Westfälischen Landesmuseum, Münster
Museum Overholland, Amsterdam
1986
Rudiger Schöttle, Munich
Philip Nelson, Lyon,
Paris Crousel-Hussenot, Paris
Tucci Russo, Turin
Museum Haus Lange, Krefeld
1985
Konrad Fischer, Düsseldorf
Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
Philip Nelson, Lyon, Paris
Micheline Szwajcer, Antwerp
1984
Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
Philip Nelson, Lyon, Paris
Johnen & Schöttle, Cologne
Jean Bernier, Athens

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1997
Kunsthalle Bern
Centre d1art Contemporain Fridericianum, Kassel
Westfalisches Landesmuseum, Munster
Saatchi Gallery, London
1995
Artisti Tedeschi - Castello di Rivara Collection No. 11, Casetllo di Rivara, Turin
Le domaine du diaphane, Le Domaine de Kerguehennec, Centre d'Art Contemporain, Bignan
France Architecture(s), CAPC Musée d'art contemporain, Bordeaux
Artistes/Architects, Nouveau Musée/Institut d'Art Contemporain, Villeurbanne
Everything that's interesting is new, Deste Foundation, Athens
1994
Marlene Dumas, Juan Munoz, Thomas Schütte, Frith Street Gallery, London
1993
Nieuwe Beelden, Middelheim Park , Antwerp
Viaggo verso Citera, Casino Municipale, Venedig
The Sublime Void. On The Memory of the Imagination, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp
1992
Tisina Silence, Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana
Documenta IX, Friedrichsplatz, Kassel
El Mundo Imaginado, Casa del Monte, Madrid
1991
Espacio Mental, IVAM Centre del Carme, Valencia
1990
Possible Worlds, ICA and Serpentine Gallery, London
Weitersehen, Museum Haus Lange and Musem Haus Esters, Krefeld
Le Diaphane, Musée des Beaux Arts, Tourcoing
1998
Kunsthalle Kiel Grazer Kunstverein
1999
Kunstraum München
Frith Street Gallery. London
Sammlung Ackermans, Xanten
Kunstmuseum, Bonn
Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Krefeld
Villa Merkel, Esslingen
2000
Haus am Waldsee, Berlin
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Deichtorhallen, Hamburg
1989
Bühnenstücke, Kunstverein München
Skulpturen für Krefeld I, Museum Haus Esters, Krefeld
Blickpunkte, Musée d'Art Contemporain, Montreal
1988
Schlaf der Vernunft, Fridericianum, Kassel
1987
Förg Kiecol Mucha Schütte, Galerie Lia Rumma, Neapel
Raumbilder, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid
Juxtapositions, P.S.I., New York
Im Auftrag, Museum Folkwang, Essen
L'epoque ... la passion, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
Bildhauerzeichnungen, Kunstverein Graz
Documenta 8, Kassel
Skulptur Projekte, Westfälisches Landesmuseum und Stadt, Munster
1986
Sieben Skulpturen, Kölnisher Kunstverein Jenische-Park Skulptur, Hamburg
Correspondentie Europa, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Sie machen was sie wollen. Junge rheinische Kunst, Galerie Schipka,
Sofia Il Cangiante, Padiglione d'Art Contemporaneo, Mailand
1985
The European Iceberg, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Rheingold, Palazzo della Societa Promotrice delle Belle Arti, Turin
Sonsbeek '86, Sonsbeek,
Arnheim 30 Jahre durch die Kunst, Museum Haus Lange, Krefeld
1945-1985 Kunst in der Bundersrepublik Deutschland, Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin
Dispositif Sculpture, ARC, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
1984
Der versiegelte Brunnen, Rotterdamse Kunsstichting, Rotterdam
c/o Haus Esters, Museum Haus Esters, Krefeld
von hier aus, Messegelände Halle 13, Düsseldorf
Ouverture, Castello di Rivoli, Turin 1983 Standort Düsseldorf,
Stadtische Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf
Konstruierte Orte, Kunsthalle Bern
Rekonstruktion, Städtische Galerie Regensburg
Sculpture from Germany, San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art;
Art Gallery of Hamilton, Ontario
1982
(0211), Kunstmuseum, Düsseldorf Halle 6,
Kampnagelfabrik, Hamburg
1981
Art Allemagne Aujourd'Hui, ARC, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris
Westkunst, Messehallen, Cologne