biography
Markus Lüpertz, born 1941 in Reichenberg, is considered one of the most important representatives of Neo-Expressionism and German artists of his generation. In the 1960s he developed his "dithyrambic painting", which evolved into other forms in the 1970s. These are idiosyncratic, monumental pictorial creations whose motifs deliberately oscillate between abstraction and representation and thus elude any attribution of meaning. He also created the 'German motifs', still-life-like picture compositions that present symbolic objects of the past such as steel helmets, shovels or flags in a monumental way: They call for a confrontation with history and quickly became a political issue because of the heated reactions they provoked.
The extensive series of paintings "Parsifal - Men without Women", which the artist began in 1993, is one of his most popular work cycles. Lüpertz repeatedly paints the face of the great seeker with a trail of tears on the right and left in numerous variations. An impressive symbol. The use of mythological figures and themes is characteristic of his work. But his primary concern is always to keep his painting alive. Markus Lüpertz sees himself as a painter without restriction. Nevertheless, he uses all printmaking techniques and has also worked as a sculptor since 1980. The sculpture is interrelated with the painting.
His works have been shown at various institutions including Die Nationalgalerie (Berlin), Die Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich), Haus der Kunst (Munich), The Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam), Museum Würth (Künzelsau), The Albertina (Vienna), Museo Reina Sofia (Madrid) and Kunsthalle Bern.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
Markus Lüpertz: In the Trenches, Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg, Derneburg
Per Kirkeby & Co: Kirkeby, Baselitz, Lüpertz, Penck, Museum Jorn, Silkeborg
2022
Markus Lüpertz, Musée des Beaux Arts d’Orleans, Orleans
Markus Lüpertz, Palazzo Loredan, Venice
2020
Markus Lüpertz, Museum Jorn, Silkeborg
2019
Markus Lüpertz. Über die Kunst zum Bild, Haus der Kunst, Munich
2018
Markus Lüpertz. Dans l’Atelier, Musée de la Vie Romantique, Paris
Markus Lüpertz. Der Tod, der bleiche Freier, Skulpturenpark, Waldfrieden
2017
Markus Lüpertz, The Phillips Collection, Washington
Markus Lüpertz. Threads of History, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington
2016
Freezing the TIME – Exhibition of Master Markus Lüpertz, China Art Museum, Shanghai
2015
Markus Lüpertz. Une Rétrospective, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris
Markus Lüpertz in China, Times Art Museum, Beijing
Markus Lüpertz/Arnulf Rainer – Bildende Kunst, Arnulf Rainer Museum, Baden
Nichts Neues. Die Abstraktion hat noch nicht begonnen. Markus Lüpertz im Bode-Museum, Bode-Museum, Berlin
2014
Markus Lüpertz. Painting and Sculpture, The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Markus Lüpertz. Matter and Form, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, Bilbao
2013
Artzuid 2013. Internationale Sculptuur Biennale, Amsterdam
Markus Lüpertz. Architektur-dithryambisch. Zeichnungen und Gemälde aus den Jahren 1964-1977, Kunstverein, Heilbronn
2012
Markus Lüpertz. Der gemalte Horizont, Osthausmuseum, Hagen
2011
Markus Lüpertz. Im göttlichen Licht/In’t God’lijk Licht, Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag
2010
Markus Lüpertz. Mythos und Metamorphose, Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie, Regensburg
2009
Markus Lüpertz – Retrospektive, Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
2008
Markus Lüpertz – Gestern und heute, Museum Moderner Kunst, Passau
2007
Markus Lüpertz, Beijing Art Museum of Imperial City, Beijing
Markus Lüpertz, Baluarte, Palacio de Congresos y Auditorio, Pamplona
Markus Lüpertz, Nanjing Museum, Nanjing
2006
Markus Lüpertz und das barocke Bamberg, Villa Concordia, Bamberg
Markus Lüpertz, BA-CA Kunstforum, Vienna
2005
Markus Lüpertz – Durs Grünbein: Daphne – Metamorphose einer Figur, Sinclair-Haus, Bad Homburg
2002
Markus Lüpertz: la memoria y la forma, IVAM Centre Julio Gonzalez, Valencia
2001
Markus Lüpertz. Malerei, Zeichnung und Skulpturen, Städtische Museen, Jena
2000
Markus Lüpertz. «Ne meurs pas avec les problèmes de ton temps» - «Never die with the problems of your time» - “Stirb nicht mit den Problemen deiner Zeit”, L’espal, centre culturel, Le Mans
1999
Markus Lüpertz. Vanitas. Norm – Struktur – Ornament, Zeche Zollverein, Essen
1997
Markus Lüpertz. Schilderijen, paintings, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Markus Lüpertz, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, München
1996
Markus Lüpertz, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
1995
Markus Lüpertz. Skulpturen in Bronze, Städtische Kunsthalle, Mannheim
Markus Lüpertz. Der mediterrane Mythos/Il mito mediterraneo, Museum für Moderne Kunst, Bozen
1994
Markus Lüpertz. Palais Liechtenstein, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna
1993
Markus Lüpertz. Zeichnungen von 1963-1977, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen
Markus Lüpertz. Malerei, Plastik, Zeichnung, Städtisches Kunstmuseum, Bonn
Markus Lüpertz, Gemälde nach Poussin, Museum Ostdeutsche Galerie, Regensburg
1991
Markus Lüpertz. Retrospectiva 1963/1990, Museo Nacional, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid
Markus Lüpertz. Rezeptionen-Paraphrasen, Städtische Galerie im Prinz-Max-Palais, Karlsruhe
1989
Markus Lüpertz. Le Dithyrambe et après (Rétrospective 1964-1988), Abbaye Saint-André Centre d’Art Contemporain, Meymac Corrèze
1988
Markus Lüpertz. Bilder 1985-1988, Kunsthalle, Kiel
1987
Markus Lüpertz. Schilderijen/Bilder 1973-1986, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam
1986
Markus Lüpertz. Belebte Formen und kalte Malerei. Gemälde und Skulpturen, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich
1984
Markus Lüpertz, Bleiben Sie sitzen Heinrich Heine, Wiener Secession, Vienna
1983
Markus Lüpertz. Schilderijen, Stedelijk Van Abbe-Museum, Eindhoven
Markus Lüpertz, Musée d’Art Moderne de Strasbourg, Strasburg
Markus Lüpertz. Bilder 1970-1983, Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hannover
Markus Lüpertz, XVII. Bienal, Sao Paolo
1981
Markus Lüpertz, Marian Goodman Gallery, New York
Markus Lüpertz: The Alice in Wonderland Paintings, Waddington Galleries, London
1979
Markus Lüpertz. “Stil” Paintings 1977-79, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
Markus Lüpertz. Gemälde und Handzeichnungen. 1964 bis 1979, Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne
1978
Markus Lüpertz. Neue Bilder, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1977
Markus Lüpertz, Kunsthalle, Hamburg
Markus Lüpertz. Dithyrambische und Stil-Malerei, Kunsthalle, Bern
Markus Lüpertz, Stedelijk van Abbe-Museum, Eindhoven
1976
Markus Lüpertz. Bilder 1972-76, Galerie Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne
1974
Markus Lüpertz. Neue Bilder, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1973
Markus Lüpertz. Bilder, Gouachen, Zeichnungen. 1967-1973, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Baden-Baden
Markus Lüpertz, Galerie im Goethe-Institut, Amsterdam