Christopher Lehmpfuhl, Die Neue Mitte, 2008, Würth Collection. Courtesy Christopher Lehmpfuhl
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Christopher Lehmpfuhl at work in the center of Berlin. Photo: Mike Wolff
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Christopher Lehmpfuhl, Berlin bei Nacht, 2006. Courtesy Christopher Lehmpfuhl
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Christopher Lehmpfuhl, Regentag (Breitscheidplatz), 2006. Courtesy Christopher Lehmpfuhl
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More, perhaps, than any other contemporary artist, Christopher Lehmpfuhl
recoded the changes Berlin has undergone over the years. The results
were over 400 paintings, for the most part large in scale. The unique
thing about his city views is that they are always painted on site, out
of doors. Vivid colors, sharp contrasts, detailed areas and sections
left blurry—Lehmpfuhl records his impressions directly and
spontaneously: “The atmosphere of a location plays a crucial role, and
so does the weather,” explains the artist, who was born in Berlin in
1972. “When there’s a storm or other outdoor event such as rain, cold,
or heat, I tend to work much more expressively, and more pastose, than
when the wind is still. Everywhere I look I see movement, spatial
depths, shapes, and a wide range of light temperatures.”
Berlin – Plein Air is the title of Lehmpfuhl’s major solo show. The exhibition, supported by Deutsche Bank, is presented in the Alte Münze,
a historical building in the center of the capital. Around 200
paintings made between 1995 and 2010 come together to create a
remarkable panorama of German history following Reunification. “We feel
especially connected to the work of Christopher Lehmpfuhl because he
has repeatedly presented the city of Berlin to us in new and manifold
ways,” says Christofer Habig, Global Head of Brand Communications &
Corporate Citizenship at Deutsche Bank. “His Berlin works are a good
example for the fact that art creates new perspectives and can make
what seems familiar accessible in new ways.”
Berlin – Plein Air. Painting from 1995-2010
11/22 – 12/23/2012
Alte Münze, Berlin
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