Biography

After his studies at the Städelschule in Frankfurt, Gerhard Naschberger went to New York to attend Hans Haacke’s class at the Cooper Union. Here he continued his education in art history and theory, plunged into the bubbling New York art scene, and became intensively involved with the ubiquitous conceptual art.

Naschberger belongs to a generation of artists who, at the beginning of the 1980s, are driving an exciting awakening of the visual arts in Germany. The general disillusionment that followed the progressive postwar years gave way to a fresh interest in painting. In fixed groups and loose groupings, the young generation of painters discusses, experiments and works.

After returning to Germany, Naschberger moves to Cologne and joins the Mülheimer Freiheit. Here he begins to paint conceptually. After the dissolution of the group in 1982, he continues to work in Cologne until he finally moves to the USA at the end of the 80s. Naschberger experimented with different styles, always dictated by the content, which he continually reinvented. His work is characterized by the use of proven, symbolic motifs from popular culture.

Works

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Documents

Publications

1973-1978 Studied at the Städelschule in Frankfurt with Thomas Bayrle and Raimer Jochims

1978 Studied at the Cooper Union, New York with Hans Haacke

1979 Moved to Cologne and joined the loose artist group Mülheimer Freiheit

1989 Moved to New York

Solo exhibitions (selection)

2023

Gerhard Naschberger, Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

2015

In Memoriam, Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Cologne

2005

Gerhard Naschberger. Paintings 1989, Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Cologne

1993

L.O.K. Gallery, New York

1987

Gerhard Naschberger, Galería Miguel Marcos, Madrid

1985

Gerhard Naschberger, Galería Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

1984

Gerhard Naschberger, Vereinigung voor het museum van hedendaagse kunst te Gent [today Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.)], Gent

1983

Gerhard Naschberger, Galerie Heinz Holtmann, Cologne

Galerie Jurka, Amsterdam

Group exhibitions (selection)

2024 

Mülheimer Freiheit, Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

2023

Mülheimer Freiheit. Made in Cologne. Adamski Bömmels Dahn Dokoupil Kever Naschberger, Ketterer Kunst, Cologne

Painting Tumult 1979-1984. Mülheimer Freiheit – Made in Cologne, Tumult Foundation, Centre of Contemporary Art, Toruń

2016

Die neuen Wilden. German Neo-expressionism from the 1980’s, Groninger Museum, Groningen

2015

Die 80er. Figurative Malerei in der BRD, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

2010

Consider the Oyster, James Graham & Sons, New York

The 80s Revisited. 1 – Sammlung Christina und Bruno Bischofberger, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, Bielefeld

2003

hot needle (graphic works of the 1980s), Prague City Gallery, Prag, 21.10.2005 – 8.1.2006

Obsessive Malerei. Rückblick auf die Neuen Wilden, Museum für Neue Kunst, ZKM Karlsruhe

1987

Mülheimer Freiheit Group, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee

1985

Primer Salon Irrealista, Galería Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Adamski. Bömmels. Dahn. Dokoupil. Kever. Naschberger, Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

1984-1985

Sammlung Metzger. Zeitgenössische Malerei aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Kunsthalle Budapest / Sara Hildén Art Museum, Tampere / Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo

1983-1984

Mülheimer Freiheit Proudly Presents the Second Bombing, Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh / Institute of Contemporary Arts, London

1983

Neue Bilder, Galerie Michael Haas, Berlin

Rest Risiko. Marlene Dumas, Floor van Keulen, Arno van der Mark, Gerhard Naschberger,

Dieter Teusch, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht

Expressionisten – Neue Wilde, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund

1982

La Giovane pittura in Germania = Die junge Malerei aus Deutschland, Galleria de Arte Moderna, Bologna

Tendenzen 82, Ulmer Museum, Ulm

Neue Malerei aus Italien, USA und Westdeutschland, Galerie Ariadne & Thomas Netusil Kunsthandel, Vienna

10 junge Künstler aus Deutschland, Museum Folkwang, Essen

12 Künstler aus Deutschland, Kunsthalle Basel / Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Rotterdam

Mülheimer Freiheit, Galerie Swart, Amsterdam

Autos und Sex. Mülheimer Freiheit, Kunstverein Wolfsburg

Die neue Künstlergruppe. Die wilde Malerei, Im Klapperhof 33, Cologne

1981

Nieuwe Duitse Kunst 1. Mülheimer Freiheit, Groninger Museum, Groningen

Mülheimer Freiheit. Die Seefahrt und der Tod, Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven

Der grüne Hühnerficker ist endlich traurig, Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne

Bildwechsel. Neue Malerei aus Deutschland, Akademie der Künste, West-Berlin

Die heimliche Wahrheit. Mülheimer Freiheit in Freiburg, Kunstverein Freiburg

1980

Finger für Deutschland, Atelier Jörg Immendorff, Düsseldorf

Mülheimer Freiheit & Interessante Bilder aus Deutschland, Galerie Paul Maenz, Cologne

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