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Life and Work
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In his painting, Wolf Hamm visualizes a pictorial universe that encompasses people's private relationships, mythical narratives, and socio-historical processes. He uses surreal alienation as a cipher to make complex connections in the real world visually comprehensible. The partly fantastic, narrative images thus become projection surfaces which Hamm uses to comment on the zeitgeist, the state of the world, and the human condition in general.
Born in Delmenhorst with Finnish roots, Hamm juxtaposes narration and myth as layers of meaning. The examination of the family as a social structure serves as a thematic starting point and source of inspiration. The family unity appears mysterious and tender, confronted in the same breath with primal fears of separation and loss. Hamm's work has something substantial – everything is about knowledge, truth, and freedom. His virtuoso painting becomes an instrument for commenting on the world and offering the viewer possible outlooks. With a critical look at our civilization, Hamm shows us the tragedy we are moving towards – sometimes in subtle tones, sometimes with a bang of the drum; but he also shows us which values are necessary to prevent us from an »apocalypse«. Hamm uses his painterly language to translate these relations into complex structures rich with symbolism, representation, and also abstraction, whereby overlapped and superimposed pictorial scenes characterize his work.
For many years, Hamm's preferred technique has been painting behind glass, as this technique renders highly brilliant colors, thus making the images desirable, so that they entice the viewer to deal with deep contents and questions. Furthermore, the technique of painting with acrylic paint behind acrylic glass necessitates a deeper level of knowledge in the artist’s working method – he constantly has to think of his motifs being mirrored and »seen from the other side«.
Biography
1974 | born in Delmenhorst, DE |
1996/97 | assistant to Prof. Marjatta Tapiola, Sysmä, FI |
1998 – 2001 | Studies at the University of the Arts, Bremen, DE |
2001 – 2004 | Studies at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, DE – master student of Prof. Siegfried Anzinger |
2007 | project grant, Senator for Culture Bremen, DE |
lives and works in Berlin, DE |
Prizes and Awards
1999 | Stipendium der Städtischen Galerie, Bremen – Residenz in Vallauris, Vallauris, FR |
Works (Selection)
Videos
Wolf Hamm, The Great Processes, 2014
© Iris Jungels
Solo exhibitions (selection)
2003 | Zwischenzeit, Galerie Revolver, Dusseldorf, DE |
Group exhibitions (selection)
2004 | Del pecado a la disolución de la culpa, Galería KA, Madrid, DE |
EXHIBITIONS AT BECK & EGGELING (SELECTION)
Publications
Wolf Hamm. Zeitzeichen
- Artist: Wolf Hamm
Text: Wolf Hamm
Design: Wolf Hamm - German
Softcover, 14 x 9
72 pages - Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, 2016
ISBN 978-3-94606306-3 - 12 €
Wolf Hamm. Zwischen den Phänomenen
- Artist: Wolf Hamm
Editor: Ute Eggeling, Michael Beck
Text: Susanne Buckesfeld, Rahel Schüepp
Design: Beck & Eggeling (Antonia Eggeling) - German, English
Softcover, 28 x 22 cm
80 pages, 114 illustrations - Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, 2014
- 20 €
bibliography
Hartmut Neumann – Verbotene Zonen ǀ Wolf Hamm – Große Prozesse, Beiträge von Andreas Bee, Achim Sommer und Jürgen Wilhelm, Max Ernst Museum Brühl, 2020 |
Wolf Hamm – Zeitzeichen. Faksimile mit 30 Zeichnungen von Wolf Hamm, Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, Düsseldorf, 2016 |
Wolf Hamm – Zwischen den Phänomenen, hg. Burkhard Leismann (Kunstmuseum Ahlen), Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, Düsseldorf, 2014 |
Wolf Hamm – In der Kürze der Zeit, hg. Ute Eggeling und Michael Beck, Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, Düsseldorf, 2012 |
Wolf Hamm – Die Welt ist keine Scheibe, hg. Kunstverein Recklinghausen e.V., Kettler Verlag, Dortmund, 2012 |
Wolf Hamm – Auf Leben und Tod, hg. Ute Eggeling und Michael Beck, Beck & Eggeling Kunstverlag, Düsseldorf, 2008 |
Wolf Hamm – Die uns bekannte Welt mit Regeln, hg. Städtische Galerie Delmenhorst, Hachmannedition, Bremen 2007 |
Wolf Hamm – Made in Bilbao, hg. Galerie T40, Düsseldorf 2005 |
Wolf Hamm – 2000-2005, hg. Fundación Bilbao Arte Fundazioa, Bilbao 2005 |
Del pecado a la disolución de la culpa (?Dibujos contra el silencio y la simulación?), hg. Galerie KA, Madrid 2004 |
XIV Certamen de Dibujo – Gregorio Prieto, Museo de la Fundación Gregorio Preto, Valdepenas & Museo de la Cuidad, Madrid 2004/2005 |