Thomas Kleemann

Thomas Kleemann was born in 1954 in Geesthacht and currently lives in Berlin. He was a master student of Prof. Johannes Geccelli and his works can be found in public and private collections in Germany, China, Finland, Italy, Austria, Spain, the USA, and South Africa. The painter received the Art Prize from the Federal Minister of Justice, Berlin-Munich-Karlsruhe-Bonn, as well as several international scholarships.

Painting: In his painting, Thomas Kleemann follows his own creative methods. He has developed a unique visual language that consists of a combination of various elements. The surface of the painting is predominantly defined by areas of different shades of gray, which are interrupted by the deliberate use of vibrant colors. Notably, the strokes of a very broad brush create clearly recognizable focal points. This results in relief-like color structures that initiate a spatial effect and provoke associations in the viewer. Thus, Kleemann's paintings hover between abstraction and spatiality in their representation.

Aquagravure: In our exhibition, we also present three-dimensional graphic editions by the artist. These works utilize the unique technique of aquagravure, which is employed by only a few artists and requires a very elaborate and time-consuming process. Only one workshop in Paris masters this special technique, which allows for the creation of three-dimensional graphics with an impressive depth of up to 0.8 cm. The heavy handmade paper dries for up to six weeks after printing, after which Kleemann enhances the engravings. The powerful effect of each piece arises from its double three-dimensionality, created both by the relief structure resulting from the paper's depth and by the refinement through coloring.