Vita

born 1972 in Wegberg

1992–1995 Studies of Philosophy, Heinrich Heine University, Dusseldorf
1995–2002 Studies at the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, class of Dieter Krieg
2000 Student of Dieter Krieg's masterclass

Exhibitions (selection)
2020 you are here, Kunsthaus NRW, Kornelimünster
2020 AMBULANZ //// Doc Su & Trickster Künstlerverein Malkasten mit Kunstpalast (Culture loop) Düsseldorf
2019 Neuland - Kunst auf neuen Wegen, Tage der Kunst, Schwalmtal
2018 île Flottante, British Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale, Italy
2018 fly like paper (für Mira), Bräuning Contemporary, Hamburg (S)
2018 frozen moments, Rheinisches Eisenkunstguss-Museum, Sayn
2017 Akademie, KIT, Kunst im Tunnel, Dusseldorf
2017 5, Bräuning Contemporary, Hamburg
2016 50 contemporary artists, Enter Art Foundation, Berlin
2015 Positions Berlin, Bräuning Contemporary, Berlin
2014 HUMBOLDT HYBRIDE, Bräuning Contemporary, Hamburg (S)
2013 HANG zur Kunst, Bräuning Contemporary, Stuttgart
2012 S/W TRIFFT FARBE, CAS Galerie, Salzburg, Austria
2012 PARFORCE, Bräuning Contemporary, Hamburg (S)
2012 N1-H1L, Kunstraum Coelner Zimmer, Dusseldorf (S)
2011 MYSTERION/ Bräuning Contemporary, Brandshof, Hamburg
2009 GAYDAR VOL 1, INSIGHT OUTSIGHT, Galerie ZeitZone, Berlin
2009 JUNGFERNHÖHLE, Souterrain Siemer, Dusseldorf (S)
2009 PENSION, Ausstellungsprojekt im öffentlichen Raum Münsterplatz, Konstanz
2008 ICH SUCHE DU, Kunstverein Heinsberg (S)
2007 BACK FROM ISRAEL (Dramamaterial), Atelier am Eck, Dusseldorf
2007 METAMODERN, Showroom Tina Miyake, Dusseldorf (S)
2006 KUNSTRASEN 2006, Ersatzbank der Gefühle, Stadtmuseum, Halle/Saale
2006 BLURR, die Ausstellung. 15 Jahre pour le rebel youth, Galerie Kunstbüro Dusseldorf
2006 PANIM (FACE) PYRAMIDA, center for contemporary art, Haifa, Israel
2005 ME MYSELF AND I, Gutleut 15 Ausstellungsraum, Frankfurt/M.; Glue, Berlin; Konsortium Dusseldorf
2005 THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, Beit Ta Tharbut, Ein Hod, Israel (S)
2005 SCHÖNE SCHEINE (KUNST UND GELD), Heart Gallery, Mannheim
2004 SPÖRT IS MÖRD/CirkulationsCentralen Gallery, Malmö, Sweden (S)
2004 CO_OP/Kunstverein Hildesheim (with Jörg Rothhaar) (S)
2003 ICH UND WOLFGANG, Galerie Kunstbüro Dusseldorf (S)
2003 LOW ON EARTH,(with Friederike Dieckmann), Tanzhaus NRW, Dusseldorf (S)
2002 BEL AIR BENCH, Het Glazen Huis, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2002 FÜR DEN INNENBEREICH, Galerie Alfred Knecht, Karlsruhe
2001 REBEL WAS MY MIDDLE NAME/Kunstverein Metzgerei Schnitzel, Dusseldorf (S)
2000 FLAG PARADE, Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach

Projects (selection)
2019 Moon-Medal (with Rita McBride), design of the artist medal by the carnival society Prinzengarde Blau-Weiss Dusseldorf
2018 Visiting lecturer of "nuans-Sommerakademie" workplace and total work of art, Sayner Hütte, Sayn
2017 CORNUCOPIA, performance in public space with students of the art academy Dusseldorf as part of the project "Von fremden Ländern in eigenen Städten" (MAP)
2016 Painting of the costume fabrics for „The Makropulos Affair“ by Leoš Janáček, costume design: Christof Hetzer, director: David Hermann, German Opera, Berlin
2015 5 collages for the foyer of Kom(m)ödchen Dusseldorf
2013 Pictures for the movie „Only Lovers Left Alive“, director: Jim Jarmusch
2011 Original painting of the costume fabrics for "Tristan and Isolde" (Richard Wagner), costume design: Wolfgang Gussmann, director: Willy Decker, RuhrTriennale 2011
2010 Painting the costume fabrics for the opera premiere "Gisela" (H. W. Henze), costume design: Christof Hetzer, director: Pierre Audi, RuhrTriennale
1999–2002 Co-Foundation and curator of the exhibition room PLUS e.V. in Dusseldorf

Scholarships/Awards
2005 Artists Residency in Ein Hod, Israel
2003 Scholarship of the Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza, Venice
2003 Special Award of Szpilman Awards, Hamburg
2002 travel grant des Kunstvereins Dusseldorf
1999–2001 Scholarship of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

Text

Volker Hermes, born in 1972, draws and paints with a powerful and direct brushstroke, with persistance and good humor. His paintings and drawings are always part of larger projects, in which Hermes gets to the bottom of a certain subject in a very analytical, nearly scientific way. Such projects were an extensive involvement with the technique and subject of portrait painting and more recently, the subject of historical battle painting and seascapes.

His work is always an expression of an intense commitment to art itself. His portraits or sea battles do not worship the protagonists or celebrate the glory of ancient seafaring. Instead, Hermes's works pay homage to art and art alone. His figures exercise with impressive virtuosity on the unlimited possibilities of pictorial representation. The artist combines linear design with painterly style and watercolor-like painting with a bold permanent marker. Painting or drawing - Hermes proves to be a master in both fields.

Artistic solutions must be derived from a fundamental (artistic) principal by internal logic. Hermes: "When the spectator feels that - even unconsciously, I am satisfied. You do not need to understand everything, as long as you can feel it." Thus, in spite of the underlying analytical approach, you are allowed to lean back and simply enjoy Hermes's paintings.