{"id":3230,"date":"2024-10-12T15:04:48","date_gmt":"2024-10-12T15:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/markus-willeke\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T08:37:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T08:37:35","slug":"markus-willeke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/markus-willeke\/","title":{"rendered":"Markus Willeke"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/span>\"\"

Markus Willeke<\/h2>\n\n\n

Germany<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Willeke\u2019s motifs emerge from the European youth culture of the 1980s and 1990s, exploring the subcultural influence of America on the creation of striking everyday symbols: fictional monsters, fast-food buildings and packaging, bizarre cartoon figures, spellbindingly tattooed backs, dancing night lights, crime. In the physical immediacy and raw force of his painting, Willeke creates a counterpoint to American Pop Art. His paintings do not draw from the graphic grids of billboards, advertising posters, or comics, but rather from a gestural brushstroke more akin to the impulsiveness of graffiti and street art.Willeke\u2019s images are not constructed from separate parts \u2014 they emerge all at once. They do not tell stories; instead, they display without detour the subcultural excesses of media-driven fantasies. The power of his images stems from the physical presence of his symbols, their scale, the brilliance of color contrasts, and the surge of paint matter that covers the canvas like a crashing wave. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Works<\/p>\n\n

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Garage<\/em>, 2018, oil on canvas, 160 x 200 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Chrystal Lake<\/em>, 2018, oil on canvas, 190 x 350 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Sweet Hereafter<\/em>, 2017, oil on canvas, 230 x 380 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Crops<\/em>, 2017, oil on canvas, 320 x 200 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Cassette<\/em>, 2017, oil on wood, each 20 x 30 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Ghost<\/em>, 2018, oil on canvas, 100 x 60 cm, 120 x 70cm, 100 x 60 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Untitled<\/em>, 2017, oil on canvas, 220 x 150 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Untitled<\/em>, 2018, oil on canvas, each 70 x 50 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Untitled<\/em>, 2017, oil on canvas, 190 x 115 cm
<\/div><\/section><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Untitled (Skull)<\/em>, 2014, oil on canvas 240 x 165 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Batman The Ride<\/em>, 2018, oil on canvas, 250 x 380 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Boomerang<\/em>, 2014, oil on canvas, 260 x 400 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Green Blind<\/em>, 2016, oil on canvas, 150 x 90 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Silver Blind<\/em>, 2013, oil on canvas, 280 x 185 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Crash<\/em>, 2016, oil on canvas, 260 x 170 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Familie S.<\/em>, 2005, Acrylic, ink on burlap, 170 x 300 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Bishop (McDonalds)<\/em>, 2003, Acrylic, ink on burlap, 140 x 190 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Bus<\/em>, 2004, Acrylic, ink on burlap, 100 x 150 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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2 Million Dollars<\/em>, 2002, Acrylic, ink on burlap, 270 x 190 cm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Biography<\/p>\n\n

1971 born in Recklinghausen (Germany), lives and works in Berlin.1992-2000 Fine Art Academy Munster (D)2001 Advancement Award of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Bonn (Germany); Advancement Award of the Art Foundation of the Stadtsparkasse Magdeburg (Germany)2002 work scholarship of the Art Foundation of the federal state Nordrhein-Westfalen, D\u00fcsseldorf (D)2005 advancement award of the Society for the Promotion of Westphalian Cultural Activities (GWK), Munster (D)2009 sponsorship to artists of the Senate Chancellery Berlin by the Foundation Deutsche Klassenlotterie (D)2008-2009 teaching assignment for painting Art Academy Bremen (D)2010 scholarship of the Cultural Foundation Spadtsparkasse Unna (D)2016 work scholarship of the Art Foundation Bonn (D)<\/p>\n\n

Solo-Exhibitions<\/p>\n\n

2022 \u201eChop Suey\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D); \u201eChop Suey\u201c, Kunstverein R\u00f6derhof, Dingelstedt (D)2020 \u201eAnd if the snow buries my neighborhood\u201c, Kunstverein Unna (D)2018 \u201eDark Crash Sound\u201c, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen (D), \u201eGreen Blind Ghost Ride\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D)2017 \u201eBlack Rainbow Swell\u201c, Rasche Ripken, Berlin (D); \u201ePool Blind Crash\u201c, Galerie Sima, N\u00fcrnberg (D)2016 Spazio Culturale, Brescia. (I); Rasche Ripken, Berlin (D); Galerie Sima, N\u00fcrnberg (D); \u201eRainbow Crash Bloom\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D) 2014 \u201eMedusa\u201c, Rasche Ripken Berlin (D); \u201eInvertigo\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Berlin (D)2013 \u201eD\u00e9j\u00e0 Vu\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D); \u201eDas s\u00fc\u00dfe Jenseits\u201c, Gerisch Stiftung, Neum\u00fcnster (D)2012 \u201eDown Down Down\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Berlin (D); \u201eFamilie S.\u201c, Kunstraum Hengesbach, Wuppertal (D)2011 \u201eCrox 357\u201c, Croxhapox art center, Gent (BE); \u201eTasten nach Wirklichkeiten\u201c, Galerie oqbo \u2013 Raum f\u00fcr Bild Wort Ton, mit Michael Bause, Berlin (D); \u201eLet me apologize to begin with\u201c, Vergoldung Erlhoff, Berlin (D)2010 \u201eHow soon is now?\u201c, Rasche Ripken Berlin (D); \u201eWhatever you do, don\u2019t tell anyone!\u201c, St\u00e4dtische Galerie Kirchheim unter Teck (D)2009 \u201eLovely, dark and deep\u201c, Fiebach & Minninger, Cologne (D); \u201eNightrider\u201c, The Coop Galerie, Bergen auf R\u00fcgen (D)2008 \u201eLook, laugh but don\u2019t touch\u201c, Rasche Ripken Berlin (D); \u201eDe vloed\u201c, Villa de Bank, Enschede (NL); \u201eOne more thing before I go\u201c, Kunstverein Marburg (D); \u201eIf you were there, beware!\u201c, Kunstverein R\u00fcgen (D); \u201eSweet hereafter\u201c, Kunstverein Wolfenb\u00fcttel (D)2007 \u201eOne step further to the edge\u201c, Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing (CN); \u201eHeavan can\u2019t wait\u201c, Fiebach & Minninger, Cologne (D); \u201eBeach closed\u201c, Kunstverein Nieb\u00fcll (D)2006 \u201eAren\u2019t you glad you didn\u2019t turn on the light\u201c, Galerie Frederik Foert, Berlin (D); \u201eLocals only\u201c, Galerie Stefan Rasche, M\u00fcnster (D)2005 \u201eIt ain\u2019t what you do, it\u2019s the way that you do it\u201c, Museum f\u00fcr Gegenwartskunst Siegen (D); \u201eCome back another day\u201c, Kunstklub K\u00f6ln, Cologne (D); \u201eCrime\u201c, Mudimadrie \u2013 Galerie Gianluca Ranzi, Antwerpen (BE); \u201eHell is round the Corner\u201c, Kunstverein Ahlen (D)2004 \u201eDeath thru Daihatsu\u201c, Galerie Garanin, Berlin (D); \u201eCroy\u201c, Galerie Borchardt, Hamburg (D); \u201eHell is round the Corner\u201c, Kunstverein M\u00fcnsterland, Coesfeld, Stiftung K\u00fcnstlerdorf Sch\u00f6ppingen (D) *; Giga, Fiebach & Minninger, Cologne (D); Nuts, Galerie Stefan Rasche, M\u00fcnster (D)2003 \u201eDrop\u201c, Galerie Garanin, Berlin (D); \u201eNo Funny Stuff!\u201c, K\u00fcnstlerhaus Dortmund (D); \u201eRiddlers Revenge\u201c, Galerie Di Maggio, Mailand (I)2002 \u201eNightrider\u201c, Felixleiter, Berlin (D); \u201eOutside of Bismarck\u201c, ND, Kunstmuseum Kloster Unsere Lieben Frauen, Magdeburg (D); \u201eTrip home\u201c, Fiebach & Minninger, Cologne (D); \u201eSwaying palm trees line the sandy white beaches as they meet the Atlantic Ocean\u201c, mit Susanne Kutter, Kunstraum Deltawerk, Solingen (D)2001 \u201eReturning to flooded home\u201c, Felixleiter, Berlin2000 \u201eLemieux on a breakaway\u201c, Galerie Schneiderei, Cologne (D)<\/p>\n\n

* Katalog<\/p>\n\n

Group-Exhibitions<\/p>\n\n

2024 “Menetekel”, Hengesbach Gallery (D);2020 \u201eEmergence plus drei\u201c, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen (D); \u201eGet dressed\u201c, St\u00e4dtische Galerie Paderborn (D); \u201eThe Lion sleeps tonight\u201c, Circus Eins \u2013 Aktuelle Kunst, Putbus (D); \u201eBild-con-text\u201c, Kunsthalle Faust, Hannover (D)2021 \u201eThe House Not Rigth in the Head\u201c, Treptow Ateliers, Berlin (D); \u201eExpedition\u201c, Kunstmuseum Paderborn (D); Maab Gallery, Mailand (I); \u201eNew Order\u201c, PR 17 \u2013 Projectroom, Berlin (D); \u201ePandemiegeburten\u201c, Kunstverein Alte Schule Baruth (D)2022 \u201eDetect\u201c, Galerie Parterre, Berlin (D); \u201eGlue\u201c, Berlin (D); \u201eStill:leben\u201c, Westwerk, Hamburg (D); \u201eDer Mythos ist hin\u201c, Galerie Pankow (D); \u201eAnonyme Zeichner\u201c, Galerie im K\u00f6rnerpark (D); \u201e\u00dcberg\u00e4nge\u201c, Verwalterhaus \u2013 St. Nikolai und St.Marien Kirchhof, Berlin (D); \u201eAlles\u201c, Studio im Hochhaus, Berlin (D)2017 \u201eDISLOCATION 2017\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D)2016 Studio im Hochhaus, Berlin (D); \u201ePaperfile\u201c, Bildersaal Artothek M\u00fcnchen (D)2015 \u201eSpectrum one\u201c, Galerie Eigenheim, Berlin (D), \u201cVoyage Mezzanine\u201d, Artspace, Berlin (D); \u201cArtists Sweetheart\u201d, K\u00fcnstlerhaus Dortmund (D)2014 \u201eDie beste aller Welten\u201c, St\u00e4dtische Galerie Nordhorn (D); \u201eDie Magie des Entschwindens\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Wuppertal (D); \u201eFatal\u201c, Projektraum Bethanien, Berlin (D); \u201eOrte\/Nichtorte\u201c, Kunstverein Uelzen (D)2013 \u201eBildfrost\u201c, Hengesbach Gallery, Berlin (D); \u201eHalte dich fern von offenen Fenstern\u201c, Rasche Ripken, Berlin (D); \u201eHow Lonely Does It Get?\u2026 DoDummDummDummDaDoDummDumm\u201c, BlackBridgeOffSpace, Beijing (CN); \u201eEdge and Surface\u201c, Leipzigerstra\u00dfe, Berlin (D); \u201eBerliner Salon\u201c, Kunsthaus Meiningen (D); \u201eHimmel auf Erden, 20. + 21. Jahrhundert\u201c, Von der Heydt-Museum, Wuppertal (D); \u201eDas s\u00fc\u00dfe Jenseits\u201c, Herbert Gerisch Stiftung, Neum\u00fcnster (D), with Susanne Kutter2012 \u201ePrivate Kunstsammlungen M\u00fcnster \u2013 Director\u2019s Choice\u201c, Kunsthalle M\u00fcnster (D); \u201eFull House\u201c, Rasche Ripken, Berlin(D)2011 \u201eDie Dritte Mitte\u201c, Neues Problem, Berlin2010 \u201ePost dimensione\u201d, Torrione Passari, Molfetta, Bari (I); \u201eWhat matters\u201d, The Coop Galerie, Bergen auf R\u00fcgen (D); \u201eLocal Heroes\u201c, RUHR 2010, Kulturstiftung Sparkasse Unna (D)2009 \u201eSelection \u2013 die Sammlung Biedermann\u201c, Museum Biedermann, Donaueschingen (D); \u201eSorry. sick and sad\u201d, The Coop Galerie, Bergen auf R\u00fcgen (D); \u201eEtwas bleibt immer h\u00e4ngen II\u201c, Rasche Ripken Berlin; \u201eNordschau II\u201c, Sammlung der HSH Nordbank, Hamburg (D)2008 \u201eHinter den Kulissen\u201c, 19. Kinofest L\u00fcnen (D); \u201eSkinscapes\u201c, Marburger Kunstverein (D); \u201eLet the train blow the whistle\u201d, Stedefreund, Berlin (D); \u201eKemnade klingt\u201c, Kunstverein Bochum (D); \u201ePaperfile#1\u201c, oqbo \u2013 Raum f\u00fcr Bild, Wort, Ton, Berlin (D)2007 \u201eCountdown\u201c, Galerie Stefan Rasche, M\u00fcnster (D); \u201eI know the world II, Sparwasser HQ\u201c, Berlin (D); \u201eMy Generation, Jugend\u00e4sthetik im Spiegel\u201c, Kunsthaus Essen (D); \u201eBalance!\u201c, M\u00fcnster Bad Doberan, Heiligendamm (D); \u201eBreathe in, breathe out\u201c, Mudimadrie \u2013 Galerie Gianluca Ranzi, Antwerpen (B); \u201eFloods\u201c, Sant\u2019Agostino Exhibition Space, in Zusammenarbeit mit GAMeC (Galerie f\u00fcr moderne und zeitgen\u00f6ssische Kunst), Bergamo (I) *2006 \u201eWestf\u00e4lische Kulturarbeit\u201c, Landesmuseum f\u00fcr Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte, M\u00fcnster; \u201eCrash\u201c, Mudimadrie \u2013 Galerie Gianluca Ranzi, Antwerpen (B); \u201eThe fine Art of separating People from their Money\u201c, Galerie Frederik Foert, Berlin\u201eZur falschen Zeit am falschen Ort\u201c, Galerie Borchardt, Hamburg (D); \u201eSaar Ferngas F\u00f6rderpreis f\u00fcr Junge Kunst\u201c, Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern, Stadtgalerie Saarbr\u00fccken, TUFA, Trier (D) *2005 \u201eHydrophobia 2\u201c, Zinger presents, Tilburg (NL); \u201eHome sweet home\u201c, Mudimadrie \u2013 Galerie Gianluca Ranzi, Antwerpen (B); \u201eCrash\u201c, Fiebach und Minninger, Cologne (D); \u201eSchering F\u00f6rderpreis Junge Kunst\u201c, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin (D), \u201eNeue Heimat I\u201c, Galerie Stefan Rasche, M\u00fcnster (D)2004 \u201eHeute hier, morgen dort\u2026\u201c, Ausstellungshalle Zeitgen\u00f6ssische Kunst, M\u00fcnster * (D); \u201eJahresgaben\u201c, Westf\u00e4lischer Kunstverein, M\u00fcnster (D); \u201eTrendw\u00e4nde\u201c, Kunstraum D\u00fcsseldorf (D); \u201eMalerei 2004\u201c, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen (D) *2003 Armoury, Trevi Flash Art Museum, Trevi (I); \u201eHydrophobia\u201c, Henry Peacock Gallery, London (GB)2001 \u201eK\u00f6ln Quartett\u201c, Fuhrwerkswaage, Cologne * (D); \u201eKunststudenten stellen aus\u201c, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der BRD, Bonn (D)2000 \u201eVon Chaos und Ordnung der Seele II\u201c, Psychiatrische Klinik der Johannes Gutenberg Universit\u00e4t Mainz, Kunstbunker N\u00fcrnberg (D); \u201eSchneiderei presents\u201c, Galerie Schneiderei, Cologne * (D)* Katalog<\/p>\n\n

Collections<\/p>\n\n

Von der Heydt\u2013Museum, Wuppertal (D), Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (D), Fondazione Mudima, Mailand (I), Artothek Marburger Kunstverein (D), Museum f\u00fcr Gegenwartskunst Siegen (D),Stadtsparkasse Unna (D), HSH Nordbank (D), Sammlung Biedermann, Donaueschingen (D)<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Willeke\u2019s motifs emerge from the European youth culture of the 1980s and 1990s, exploring the subcultural influence of America on the creation of striking everyday symbols: fictional monsters, fast-food buildings and packaging, bizarre cartoon figures, spellbindingly tattooed backs, dancing night lights, crime. In the physical immediacy and raw force of his painting, Willeke creates a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2500,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3230"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3231,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3230\/revisions\/3231"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hengesbach-gallery.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}