Elmar Hess
In Elmar Hess’ artistic works private conflicts are seen to be the consequence of compulsory actions conditioned by technology and the system. The individual occurrence is placed on a par with a cascading fantasy of political-historical events. Hess’ works include films and videos as well as multi-media installations consisting of thematically intertwining, staged spaces. These provide the installations a primary structure much like the dramatic sequences of a film. At the same time, the individual spaces address sub-issues formulated by the overarching theme.
Elmar Hess has participated in numerous group exhibitions including Lost Paradise (Kunstraum Wien), German Open (Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg), Surfing Systems (Kunstverein Kassel), Man Son 1969 – The Horror of the Situation (Hamburger Kunsthalle), and others. He was a recipient of the Deutschen Kunstfonds Bonn and the Deutsche Akademie Rom, Villa Massimo.
Artist Info
Biography
Born in 1966 in Hamburg, Germany
Lives and works in Berlin, Germany
Career
1988-1995
Studies of Fine Arts, University of Fine Arts, Hamburg and State Academy of Fine Arts, Stuttgart
Studies of Film, University Hamburg
Since 2003
Several lectureships at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg and at North German Broadcasting
2010-2011
Guestprofessor, University of Fine Arts Saar, Saarbrücken
Awards and Scholarships
2014
Catalog funding, Deutscher Kunstfonds, Bonn
Project funding of the Rudolf-Augstein-Stiftung
2012
Project funding of the Schering-Stiftung, Berlin
2010
Project funding of the Abt-Straubinger-Foundation, Stuttgart
2009
Project funding of the Alfred-Toepfer-Foundation
2008
Project funding of the Rudolf-Augstein-Foundation
Project funding of Hamburgische Kulturstiftung
2007
Scholarship of the Foundation Schöppingen
2006
Stipend of the German Academy Rome, Villa Massimo, Rome/IT
2005
Project funding of the Michael-Liebelt-Foundation
2004
Project funding of the Freie Hansestadt Hamburg
2003
Scholarship of the county Niedersachsen
2002
Scholarship of the Werkleitz-Society
1999
Stipend of the German Kunstfonds
1998
Stipend of the German Kunstfonds
1997
Artist in Residence, London/GB
1996-1997
Scholarship of the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg
1997
Award of the International Videofestival Berlin „Mediopol
Selected Exhibitions
2019
The X Part II, WHITECONCEPTS, Berlin/DE
The Universal Sea, Book Launch, Universität der Künste, Berlin/DE
ALL’IDEA DI QUEL METALLO, Verband Deutscher Bürgschaftsbanken, Berlin/DE
2018
Einen Frieden später, Stadtgalerie Kiel/DE
GELD – WAHN – SINN, Sammlung Haupt, Reinbeckhallen, Berlin/DE
2017
Dear, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Gdansk/PL
2016
Previous, WHITECONCEPTS, Berlin/DE
Art Photo Budapest, with WHITECONCEPTS, Millenaris, Budapest/HU
Einen Frieden später, Kunsthalle Rostock, Rostock/DE
2014
Instant, Invaliden6, Berlin/DE
2013
STILLS, WHITECONCEPTS, Berlin/DE
Money Works, WHITECONCEPTS, Berlin/DE
La Mère Perdue, Europäisches Kunstforum, Berlin/DE
2012
The Golden Cage, KunstBüroBerlin, Berlin/DE
2011
cis, BLAU – Raum für Kunst, Hamburg/DE
The End of the Dream, WHITECONCEPTS, Tresorfabrik, Berlin/DE
2010
Man Son 1969, Villa Merkel, Esslingen/DE
Still haven’t found what I’m looking for, Kunstmuseum Bonn/DE
Surf & Anarchie & Alchemie, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg/DE
2009
Man Son 1969 – Vom Schrecken der Situation, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg/DE
art Karlsruhe, art fair, Karlsruhe/DE
Expanded Realities, Muncipal Art Gallery, Pecs/HU
2008
Hülle des Selbst, Gallery Dietrich, Berlin/DE
2007
Fish and Ships, Barlach Halle, Hamburg/DE
Seestücke – Von Max Beckmann bis Gerhard Richter, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg/DE
2006
SNAFU, Hamburger Kunsthalle
Haunted, Feld für Kunst, Hamburg/DE
2005
Videothek, Muncipal Art Gallery, Wels/AT
„Medial, Barlach-Halle, Hamburg/DE
Gastfreundschaft, Schloss Bleckede/DE
2004
Submission, K3, Hamburg/DE
Weiße Nächte Kiel Oben, Kunsthalle Kiel/DE
Kriegsjahre, Collection of Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg/DE
2003
MIPDOC, Cannes/FR
Nordische Filmtage, Lübeck/DE
2002
Sehsüchte, Filmfestival Potsdam/DE
Filmkunstfest Schwerin/DE
2001
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen/DE
Filmartfestival Schwerin/DE
Fact-Fiction, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg/DE
2000
Ticker, Gallery Gebauer, Berlin/DE
International Filmfestival Moskau/RUS
1999
Video und Lebensart“, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Galerie der Gegenwart, Hamburg/DE
German Open – Gegenwartskunst in Deutschland, Kunstmuseum, Wolfsburg/DE
1998
Passage, Kunsthaus Hamburg/DE
Baltic Filmfestival Berlin/DE
Filmfest Hamburg/DE
1997
International Videofestival „Mediopolis“, Berlin/DE
Surfing Systems, Kunstverein Kassel/DE
Sehfahrt, Norddeutsches Landesmuseum, Hamburg/DE
1996
Kriegsjahre – Some sunny day we’ll meet again, Kunstverein Hamburg/DE
1995
Diplomaten, K3, Hamburg/DE
1994
Lost Paradise, Kunstraum Wien – Museumsquartier, Wien/AT