THOMAS SCHÜTTE

From Oldenburg to Düsseldorf

Thomas Schütte was born in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, in 1954. At a young age, a visit to documenta 5 in Kassel (1972) ignited his passion for art, inspiring him to pursue an artistic career. From 1973, he studied at the renowned Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under famous professors such as Fritz Schwegler and Gerhard Richter. His studies in Düsseldorf shaped his style and paved the way for his later international career.

Thomas Schütte: Self-portrait: 5/30–31/75, 1975. Oil on nettle cloth, 60 × 45 cm, Collection the artist, Düsseldorf. Photo: Luise Heuter

A Multi-Talented Artist Achieves International Fame

Already in the 1980s, Schütte gained international attention through numerous exhibitions. His works encompass a wide range of artistic media: from painting and drawing to photography, sculpture, and architecture. His figurative sculptures, such as Die Fremden (The Strangers) (1992) and Große Geister (Big Spirits) (1996), became widely discussed and iconic works of contemporary art. They often depict grotesque and distorted human images that demand a critical examination of social and political structures from the audience. His works turn the ordinary upside down, address the human body, and question societal norms and power structures.

Thomas Schütte: Bronze Woman No. 17, 2006, patinated bronze on steel table, 204 × 125 × 250 cm, Art Institute of Chicago through prior gifts or bequests of Leo S. Guthman, Fowler McCormick, Albert A. Robin, Marguerita S. Ritman, Emily Crane Chadbourne, Florence S. McCormick, and Judith Neisser; purchased with funds provided by Per Skarstedt; 20th Century Purchase and Robert and Marlene Baumgarten funds. Photo: The Art Institute of Chicago / Art Resource, New York

From documenta to His Own Sculpture Hall

A significant milestone in Schütte's career was his participation in documenta IX in 1992, where his sculpture group Die Fremden on the portal of the Fridericianum attracted considerable attention and sparked media debates. Schütte achieved his definitive breakthrough in 2005 when he was awarded the Golden Lion for best artist at the Venice Biennale. Schütte's works are exhibited in world-renowned museums and galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery in London, and the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.

In 2016, he opened the Skulpturenhalle near Düsseldorf, a unique exhibition space for contemporary sculpture that also serves as storage for his own works. This project demonstrates Schütte's commitment to promoting modern sculpture and his vision for an artistic legacy.

Thomas Schütte: Pringles, 2011, Pringles chip and matchbox, 3.5 × 4.8 × 7 cm, Collection the artist, Düsseldorf. Photo: Luise Heuter

The Catalogue – An Overview of Schütte's Exciting Career

We have published several works on Schütte's art, most recently the German edition of the catalogue for the major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which offers a comprehensive insight into Schütte's artistic development from 1975 to the present day. It features installation views of more than 100 sculptures, as well as drawings, prints, architectural experiments, and previously inaccessible archival material. Essays by Paulina Pobocha, Jennifer Allen, and André Rottmann provide in-depth historical and theoretical analyses, while Marlene Dumas and Charles Ray highlight Schütte's significance through detailed engagements with his work.

published on 24.10.2024 – László Rupp