Wolfgang Tillmans is an internationally acclaimed German artist who experiments with photography and many other forms of representation. (Photo: Matthias Willi)
Until 27 January 2019, the Mönchehaus Museum in Goslar is showing an exhibition of Wolfgang Tillmans, who was awarded with the Goslar Kaiserring at the end of September 2018.
“Extraordinary exhibition venue”
The German artist, who now lives in London and Berlin, enjoys an excellent international reputation. In the Mönchehaus Museum, a 500-year-old half-timbered house, Tillmans is showing a selection of his art from recent decades.
The 50-year-old experiments with various forms of photographic expressions, including still lifes, portraits, landscape and sky photographs, but also with special copying techniques and forms of presentation. Own publications as well as videos and music productions further prove his versatility.
Der Hirsch, 1995, courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne
»It´s only love give it away«, 2005, courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Köln
In a time of increasing complexity and polarization, Tillmans not only tries to capture special moments in his works, but also to show contrasts and contradictions. According to the international Kaiserring jury, he is driven by the great questions of truth, of gaining knowledge, of beauty, of friendship, of freedom …
“Poetry and Disillusionment”
He explained that for him it is a matter of exploring the boundaries of photography and balancing poetry with disillusionment. On his numerous travels he captured the diverse manifestations of our globalized world and the uniqueness of the different places.
Tillmans’ artistic work has been honoured in major exhibitions worldwide – most recently at Tate Modern in London. As he attentively followed the history of the Kaiserring for decades, hoping to become an awardee himself at some point, Wolfgang Tillmans was all the more delighted to receive the Kaiserring.
“To endure the truth and life”
In an interview about his visual language, Wolfgang Tillmans said: “I always have the desire (…) to encourage other people to trust their eyes and to endure the truth or life.” He is the 43rd Kaiserring awardee among whom such famous names as Olafur Eliasson, Jörg Immendorf, Sigmar Polke, Cindy Sherman, Christo and Josef Beuys can be found.
“Poster campaign against Brexit”
Tillmans was born in Remscheid and was the first non-British photographer and artist to be awarded with the Turner Prize in 2000. He has been a member of the Royal Academy of Arts since 2013. Wolfgang Tillmans definitely sees himself as a political person. For example, he turned against Brexit with a large-scale poster campaign. He told the Spiegel – a German magazine – that it is important for Europe to reflect on what holds us together, not what separates us… Tillmans: “We have to stay awake, rather than seeing the cliché in the other.” Freedoms, values and rights cannot be taken for granted. “They’re under attack. They must be defended.”
Text, photos and design: Michael Hotop, Jochen Hotop
Mönchehaus-Impressionen
Founded in 1978, the Mönchehaus Museum shows exhibitions of modern art. In addition, many works of art by former Kaiserring awardees are spread over the entire medieval city of Goslar.
The museum is housed in the Ackerbürgerhaus (1528), one of the most beautiful half-timbered houses in Goslar's old town. It provides a historical ambience that is highly appreciated by many artists.
The Kaiserring awarded by the city of Goslar and the associated exhibition of the awardee are a special highlight of the year. The Kaiserring is one of the most coveted art prizes in the world.
Since 1975, internationally renowned artists, who are still alive have been honoured, including Christo in 1988. His "Package on a Hunt" can be found in front of the entrance area of the museum. It's an ore-filled mine car, wrapped and tied up by Christo.
The "Hexagon-S" by Victor Vasarely, Kaiserring awardee of 1978. In the background the autumnal "Beuys Oak Trees".
View into the former "Große Däle" (Great Hall) with works of art by Wolfgang Tillmans.
The exhibition of Wolfgang Tillmans can currently be seen on the three floors of the imposing half-timbered house. There are many dazzling names among the former prizewinners: Joseph Beuys, Max Ernst, Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, and Olafur Eliasson.
Until 27 January 2019, the Mönchehaus Museum in Goslar is showing an exhibition of Wolfgang Tillmans, who was awarded with the Goslar Kaiserring at the end of September 2018.
“Extraordinary exhibition venue”
The German artist, who now lives in London and Berlin, enjoys an excellent international reputation. In the Mönchehaus Museum, a 500-year-old half-timbered house, Tillmans is showing a selection of his art from recent decades.
The 50-year-old experiments with various forms of photographic expressions, including still lifes, portraits, landscape and sky photographs, but also with special copying techniques and forms of presentation. Own publications as well as videos and music productions further prove his versatility.
In a time of increasing complexity and polarization, Tillmans not only tries to capture special moments in his works, but also to show contrasts and contradictions. According to the international Kaiserring jury, he is driven by the great questions of truth, of gaining knowledge, of beauty, of friendship, of freedom …
“Poetry and Disillusionment”
He explained that for him it is a matter of exploring the boundaries of photography and balancing poetry with disillusionment. On his numerous travels he captured the diverse manifestations of our globalized world and the uniqueness of the different places.
Tillmans’ artistic work has been honoured in major exhibitions worldwide – most recently at Tate Modern in London. As he attentively followed the history of the Kaiserring for decades, hoping to become an awardee himself at some point, Wolfgang Tillmans was all the more delighted to receive the Kaiserring.
“To endure the truth and life”
In an interview about his visual language, Wolfgang Tillmans said: “I always have the desire (…) to encourage other people to trust their eyes and to endure the truth or life.” He is the 43rd Kaiserring awardee among whom such famous names as Olafur Eliasson, Jörg Immendorf, Sigmar Polke, Cindy Sherman, Christo and Josef Beuys can be found.
“Poster campaign against Brexit”
Tillmans was born in Remscheid and was the first non-British photographer and artist to be awarded with the Turner Prize in 2000. He has been a member of the Royal Academy of Arts since 2013. Wolfgang Tillmans definitely sees himself as a political person. For example, he turned against Brexit with a large-scale poster campaign. He told the Spiegel – a German magazine – that it is important for Europe to reflect on what holds us together, not what separates us… Tillmans: “We have to stay awake, rather than seeing the cliché in the other.” Freedoms, values and rights cannot be taken for granted. “They’re under attack. They must be defended.”
Text, photos and design: Michael Hotop, Jochen Hotop
Mönchehaus-Impressionen