About

Peer Kriesel

Peer Kriesel was born in Berlin in 1979. After more than 15 years as a creative mind in the agency and advertising world, he now works exclusively as an artist in Berlin.

In his work, the artist deals with the subject of identity and values in the age of digital change and the digital society.

Data protection and the evidently growing confusion in society, the constant battling in politics –influenced by wars and lack of solidarity–, the conflict between old values and the new concepts of beauty – all these are topics that artist Peer Kriesel addresses in his work.

The neglect and disappearance of true aesthetics, but also true anti-aesthetics, have interested and inspired the artist for years.

Characteristic pieces of Peer Kriesel’s work are his “Fratzen” (“Grimaces”), “Wimmelbilder” (“Swarm paintings/teeming paintings”) and “Übermalungen” (“Overpaintings”).

The geometric forms have been added in the current works. They seem to divide the figure worlds, partially obscure them, but to put others in the foreground. The geometric elements serve as confusing, sometimes disharmonious, but sometimes also as compensatory forms and offer more room for interpretation for the thematic world of the abundance of data and digitization as well as migration.
In today's time only the abolished borders become insurmountable limits. Fears arise of what one can not grasp or understand. Here the clutter of war, hunger, fear and terror hits the ostensibly "peaceful" world.

In the ME SO SMALL installations in combination with the wall or an object like a rare car models, the artist supposedly becomes a vandal. He draws a grimace drawing on the wall or model with a gestural line. As a result of this action, the valuable object is on the one hand devalued or perhaps even damaged and on the other hand it is upgraded and elevated to an art object. This contradiction in terms is what attracts the artist. Because at a time when the production and consumption of creative work or “only” beautiful things are becoming almost inflationary, general values are also shifting.

A very new series of works: the FRTZNABSTRCTN-paintings. The abstracted "grimaces", which are built up by calligraphic lines in several levels and layers, reflect the ever faster and more abstract appearing world.

Portfolio/Artist info (PDF Download)

Artworks/Portfolio – An overview (PDF Download – 9MB)
Artworks/Portfolio – Overpaintings (PDF Download – 6.5MB)
Artworks/Portfolio – Me So Small-Installations (PDF Download – 5MB)
Werke/Portfolio – FRTZNABSTRCTN - Abstracted Identity (PDF-Download – 4MB)
Werke/Portfolio – Digital Art/NFTs (PDF-Download – 5MB)
The NFT-artwork: The Burning Chrome (PDF Download – 1MB)
Werke/Portfolio – Essences on Canvas (PDF Download – 3.5MB)

Artist Info: PEER KRIESEL – Skeptical Grimaces and Miniature Artists / Anne Simone Krüger / Translation: Ted Kuttner (PDF Download – Mobile)

Exhibitions

2023
Art Karlsruhe, Galerie Martin Mertens, Karlsruhe (DE)
paper positions berlin, Galerie Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE)
NEW PERSPECTIVES, Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt (DE)
2022
ARTISTS ÜBERSCHAU #07 Contemporary Show Room, Berlin (DE)
into the unknown (NFT) (Group show), despace.berlin, Berlin (DE)
Encounters – John Franzen + Peer Kriesel, Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt (DE)
friends (Group show), m3, Berlin (DE)
NFT Special, Positions Art Fair, Berlin (DE)
Art Karlsruhe, Gallery Martin Mertens, Karlsruhe (DE)
Discovery Art Fair, BLNAC (C10), Cologne (28.4.–1.5.2022) (DE)
Update (Solo Show), Gallery Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE)
(29.1.–12.3.2022)

2021
PAN AMSTERDAM, Gallery Martin Mertens, Amsterdam (NL)
Beyond Time And Space (NFT), TingDAO, New York (USA)
Affordable Art Fair Brussels, BLNAC GALLERY, Brussels (BE)
POSITIONS Berlin, Gallery Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE)
paper positions berlin, Gallery Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE)
Keep Cool, Gallery Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE)
NFT Group Show (NFT), TingDAO, Beijing (China)
Homage to the line, Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt (DE)

2020
It’s a wrap!, Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt (DE) (Nov. 2020–April 2021)
Discovery Art Fair, Schlieder Contemporary/dieHO Galerie, Frankfurt/Main (DE) (November 2020)
ARTMUC, Munich (DE) (22–25 October 2020)
paper positions berlin, Galerie Martin Mertens, Berlin (DE) (10–13 September 2020)
Kunst/Mitte, die HO, Magdeburg (11–13 September 2020)
KUNST SPONTAN – Made in Germany, LAKESIDE GALLERY (CH)
Art Innsbruck, BLNAC GALLERY, Innsbruck (AT)

2019
Adventsgrillen, dieHO Galerie, Magdeburg (DE)
Discovery Art Fair, Frankfurt (DE)
Paper connection, Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt (DE)
Im Dialog – Horst Janssen und Peer Kriesel, upstairs project by Galerie und Verlag St. Gertrude & Galerie Lippmann, Hamburg, Jul–Oct 2019 (DE)
Kunst/Mitte, Magdeburg (DE)
Contemporary Basel, Basel (CH)
Art MUC, Munich (DE)
Discovery Art Fair, Cologne
Art Innsbruck, BLNAC GALLERY, Innsbruck (AT)
Neue Zeichnungen (solo show), Schlieder Contemporary, Frankfurt am Main (DE)

2018
Discovery Art Fair, Frankfurt (DE)
Schöneberger Art, maia zinc studio, Berlin (DE)
Art MUC, Munich (DE)
Kölner Liste 2018, Cologne (DE)
Revealing (solo show), mz project room maia zinc, Berlin (DE)

2017
Scheinwelt (group show with David Lehmann), greskewitz | kleinitz | galerie, Hamburg (DE)
Berliner Liste 2017, Berlin (DE)
REVALUE (solo show), okazi gallery, Berlin (DE)
OpenAirGallery Berlin, Berlin (DE)
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
Fashion Week New York 2017, Julianna Bass, New York City, USA

2016
"Im Kleinen und Ganzen – Miniaturen der Gegenwartskunst", Galerie Forum Amalienpark, Berlin (DE)
Affordable Art Fair, Hamburg (DE)
NEONCHOCOLATE Festival, Berlin (DE)
OpenAirGallery Berlin, Berlin (DE)
FACES (group show), Haute Presents, Berlin (DE)
Fashion Week New York 2016, Julianna Bass, New York City, USA

2015
POP-UP AUSSTELLUNG „WE ARE ALL HUMAN“ (group show), WE ART BERLIN, Galerie Blond & Blond Contemporary, Berlin (DE)
Berliner Liste 2015, Berlin (DE)
Galerie Pillango, Berlin (DE)
Temporary Gallery-Berlin, Berlin (DE)
OpenAirGallery Berlin, Berlin (DE)

1999–2015
Verschiedene Einzel- / Gruppenausstellungen in Berlin
Jährliche Einzelausstellung in der Galerie Pillango