Tina Oelker

Some things you don't understand because you don't want to believe them.

Tina Oelker, born 1973 in Hamm-Westphalia, lives and works in Hamburg since 1995.
In her youth she learned nude drawing and modern painting, in her 20s she studied in New York City at SVA and The Art Students League. She completed her studies at HAW in Hamburg in 2004 with the motif of the hare. With “ 25 Farben (Colours) Stockholm" and "12.5 Farben Florenz (Colours Florence)“, Tina Oelker has returned to abstraction. She became known with her oeuvre "1000 Hasen", which is still in its entirety under lock and key. In spring 2021, her first illustrated book "Von Hasen und Göttern, Nr. 1 (Of Hares and Gods)" was published, which summarizes 20 years of her work. Prose, such as the "1000 Theses" and lyrical texts from her "Leporello", complement her work in an abstract way without explaining it themselves, and have also been a main component of her performances and social evenings since 2016. In 2021 she installs two temporary spaces and in 2022 she is co-founder of the artist group "Die Kryptiker (The Cryptics)".

CV

07.12. 1973 | born in Hamm-Westf., lives and works in Hamburg since 1995
1989 – 1994 | Evening class for Modern Painting, Eckart Wendler, Hamm-Westphalia
1990 – 1994 | Study visits during school vacations, in Portofino, Italy
1991 – 1993 | Nude drawing as a guest at the University of Applied Sciences
and Academy in Cologne and Düsseldorf
1994 | The Art Students League of New York, Hillary Holmes Class, NYC, USA
1995 | SVA-School of Visual Arts, Monica Wellington Class, New York City, USA
1998 – 2004 | HAW-Hamburg, University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg
(Prof. Ryoram Merose, Prof. Klaus Waschk, Prof. Hartmut Gudenau,
Prof. Michael Lingner (HfbK), Prof. Franz Erhard Walther (HfbK)
2004 | Diploma, „Auf Hasenjagd – Der Hase als Motiv in Kunst und Kultur“
(Hunting the Hare – The Hare as a Motif in Art and Culture)

Projects

2022 | Gründung der Künstlergruppe, Die Kryptiker
(„The Cryptics“ – Founding member and curation, group exhibition)
2021 | Die Bank – Mural in a former bank branch in Worms, Germany
2020/21 | Das Buch Von Hasen und Göttern, N° 1, 2001 – 2021
since 2018 | Explorer, Sichtweise der Kunst – Art Stroll, Sir Hotel, Hamburg
2018/19 | Magazineforthearts, Newspaper Edition
2017 | Veracity Report
since 2016 | Gesellschaftsabende (socials events)
2016 | Das Leporello, Ausgabe 2016, lyrische Texte und Zeichnungen
2015 | Inventarisierung der 1000 Hasen (Inventory of the 1000 Hares)
2014 | Schützenfest-Reloaded, Abschlussveranstaltung, Hafentor 7, Hamburg
2014 | Das Leporello, Hörspiel und Kurzfilm, New York City, USA
2010 – 2014 | Hafentor 7, Produzentengalerie, Hamburg
(Foundation and curation, solo and group exhibitions)
2007 – 2014 | Hasenmanufaktur Hamburg, 1000 Hasen
2003 – 2005 | Durchgang, Produzentengalerie, Milchstrasse 21 A, Hamburg
(Foundation and curation, solo and group exhibitions)

Solo exhibitions

2022 | Pandora´s Box, Maximilianpark, Hamm Westfalen und OBEN in der Cramer Wohnvilla, Hamburg
2021 | Suchtherapiezentrum a.v.B, Alte Post, Elmshorn
2016 | Black Arts Club, Alte Münze, Sreewerkstätten, Berlin
2015 | Die Welt ist eine Ananas, und in ihr wohnt ein Hase, Spreewerkstätten, Alte Müntze, Berlin
2015 | Hunt & Beyond, Brook 3, Speicherstadt, Hamburg
2010-2014 | Hasen und Jagen, permanente Ausstellung, Hafentor 7, Hamburg
2010 | 1000 Hasen, Kunstbetrieb 7, Ludwigsburg (Kuratorin: Kristina Pauli)
2009 | European Hare, Gershwin Art Hotel, New York City, USA
2009 | Feier des 250. Hasen, Rialto, Hamburg
2009 | Wild, Galerie Forum, Bialystok, Polen (Kurator: Magdalena Ziomek-Beims)
2008 | Das Jagdzimmer, Schloss Ippenburg, Bad Essen
2008 | Replacement, Kunstverein Hamm, Hamm-Westf.
2007 | Animalia, Museum Kamen, Kamen (Kurator: Eckart Wendler)
2006 | The Wedding Plan, Projekt B-22, Hamburg
2005 | Schwimmer, Galerie Hafen + Rand, Hamburg

Group exhibitions

2023 | Salon an der Redoute, Bonn, Die Kryptiker
2022 | Die Kunst ist eine Angelegenheit des Geistes, kunstgruppe plan B, Künstlerforum Bonn
2019 | West of where the sun goes down, No Man´s Art Gallery, Amsterdam, Niederlande
2015 | Peng!, Kunst im Komm, Wolfenbüttel
2012 | N° 5, No Man´s Art Gallery, Paris, Frankreich
2012 | Tag des Oberhafens, Oberhafen Hamburg e.V (Kuration)
2010 | Zu Tisch N° 1, Frappant, Open Air Filmfestival, Hamburg
2009 | The European Hare, Alp Gallery, New York City, USA
2008 | Let‘s Beuys - LOMU, Skam e. V., Hamburg
2007 | Jagdgesellschaft, Kulturparlament Soest e. V., Morgnerstiftung, Soest
2007 | Schützenfest, Frise - Künstlerhaus, Hamburg
(Kuratoren: Rolf Bergmeier, Prof. Gunnar F. Gerlach und Annette Paulsen)
2006 | Ball-of-Fame, Altes Vitra Museum, Berlin (Kuratorin: Lara Brekenfeld)
2005 | Grenzenlos, Kunstverein Plauen, Plauen
2004 | Besichtigungstermin, Kurator, Kontorhaus, Gängeviertel, Hamburg (Kuration)
2004 | Supermarkt, Galerie Feinkunst Krüger, Hamburg

Performances

2022 | Sekretariat Tina Oelker, Jazz and the City, Salzburg: Kunstverein Salzburg, Markussaal,
Toihaus, Kollegienkirche, Wechselseitig/Buch Galerie und Grafische Werkstatt im Traklhaus (Kuratorin: Tina Heyne)
2022 | Einstrichzeichnungen, 150 Jahre Fritz Hansen, Jubiläums Pavillion, Designmuseum Danmark, Kopenhagen
2018 | Gesellschaftsspiel @ David Peterman´s Love Podium, Klosterfelde Edition, Berlin
2017 | Das Leporello, Lesung und Releaseparty, Klippkroog, Hamburg
2016 | Das Gastmahl der 7 Weisen, Das erste Experiment, Text/Konzept/Spiel , Alte Münze, Spreewerkstätten, Berlin
2009/2010 | Bilder-Lieder-Abende mit Manuel Klein, Bremen und Hamburg
2006 | Deer Devine, Lunalanding,B-22 group, sculpture@City Nord, Hamburg
(Project Management: Peter Borchardt/Kurator: Rik Reinking)
2006 | The Weddingplan, Projekt B-22., Hamburg
2004 | Beautiful People Performance, 23 cr Gallery, London, England
2004 | Kommunikative Materialversammlung, Durchgang, Hamburg
2003 | b present , Pinasberg, Outdoor Perfomance und Solo-Ausstellung, St. Pauli, Hamburg
2003 | Freiräumen 2003, Schwankhalle, Junges Theater Bremen, Bremen
1998 | Live Painting, Schmidts Tivoli Theater, Hamburg
1998 | Living People, Erotik Art Museum, Hamburg
1994 | Top hat and the red coat, Tunnel and Club USA, New York City, USA

What is it about your studio space that inspires you?

The old, tactile materials of the studio, the freedom and the time I can live in the middle of the city.

What sounds, scents and sights do you encounter while in your studio?

The smell of fresh oil color with hints of turpentine and fresh espresso

What is your favourite material to work with? How has your use of it evolved throughout your practice?

I use oil paint, and in the last 20 years I have been able to intensify the variations, expression and compositions of colors in my painting.

What themes do you pursue?

I use the theme of hunting in its ambiguity, the natural interplay of male and female, returned to Greek mythology via the hare, and again intend to let painting itself become the subject.

What advice has had the biggest impact on your career?

create yourself

If you could install your art absolutely anywhere, where would that be?

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?

Lass mal den Affen, der geht!

If you weren´t an artist, what would you be doing?

Psychology and farming

What are your favourite places besides your studio?

Wherever I can ride my racing bike

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