Christoph Bergmann
Christoph Bergmann was born in 1959 in Breisach am Rhein and grew up in an area rich of history, culture and – due to the vicinity to France and Switzerland – international influence, which was a fertile ground for the creative spirit. In 1984 he became a student in the sculpture class of Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, which turned out to be the perfect choice. The non-dogmatic teaching and wide interest of the co-founder of British Pop Art, in combination with the city itself – with all the wonderful museums – provided a creative climate for Christoph Bergmann to develop and refine his artistic expression. In 1989 he made his diploma as Paolozzi’s master student and became his teaching assistant, later also to his successor Prof. James Reineking. In 1995 Bergmann established his studio in Munich to work as a freelance sculptor, inventing and building his characteristic man-machines, mainly in aluminum. Two of the earlier mentioned museums in Munich played a crucial role in his conceptual approach. Drawing in the Glyptothek he got to know and appreciate the timeless quality of Greek and Roman sculpture, which become in his re-interpretation containers to transport new meaning. The other place was the Air and Space department of the Deutsches Museum, where he could study aerodynamic forms and learn about the techniques of modern aircraft design. By bringing these separate worlds together Christoph Bergmann connects the static or rather unchanging human nature, embodied by a classic Torso, with the dynamic process of technological development. The works of Christoph Bergmann have been shown all over Germany and several European Countries: Technical museums such as the Flugwerft Schleißheim in 1993, Imperial War Museum in London in 1997, but also museums like the Antikensammlung Kassel in 1998, the Mercati di Traiano in Rome in 2004 and finally, more than 20 years after first drawing there, the Glyptothek in Munich in 2009.
1959 Born, Breisach am Rhein, Germany
1974 – 79 Apprenticeship in cabinetmaking
1977 – 78 Travelled America (USA, Canada, Central America)
1978 – 79 Worked as cabinetmaker
1979 – 80 Travelled Asia (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia)
1980 – 82 Studied sculpture at Breisacher Schule
1982 – 84 Civil service in Freiburg
1984 – 89 Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, with
Prof. Sir Eduardo Paolozzi
1989 – 90 Teaching Assistant to Prof. Sir Eduardo Paolozzi
1990 – 95 Teaching Assistant to Prof. James Reineking
1994 – 95 Prorector at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
1995 Munich – Edinburgh Artist’s Exchange
Since 1995 Freelance sculptor
Frequent collaboration with Staatliche Antikensammlungen
und Glyptothek, Munich
Public Commissions
“Venus”, Flugmedizinsches Institut der Luftwaffe, Fürstenfeldbruck
“Streamliner”, NATO-Airbase, Leipheim
“La nascita di Venere”, European Patent Office Munich
“Helix/Torso”, Kulturkreis Gasteig, Munich
“Il volo di venere”, Nato-Airbase Neuburg/Donau
Public Collections
Sammlung der Stadt Waldkirch im Breisgau
Europäisches Patentamt, München
Sammlung Santarelli, Rom
Mercati Di Traiano, Rom
Private Collections
In Europe, USA, Japan.
Group Exhibitions (Selection)
1985 Kunstzentrum Nr. 66, Munich-Neuperlach (catalogue)
1988 “Unter Helden und Göttern”, Glyptothek Munich (catalogue)
1989 Im Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Munich
1989 Galerie Schmeller-Villinger, Würzburg
1991 Stadtmuseum Amberg
1991 “Sculptures and Sculptor’s Drawings”, William Jackson Gallery, London
1993 Aerokunst Friedrichshafen
1994 London Art Fair, Manchester Art Fair
1994 “The Summer Show”, William Jackson Gallery, London
1995 Aerokunst Friedrichshafen
1995 “Ortung”, GSF – Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit,
Neuherberg/Munich (catalogue)
1995 Socienty of Scottish Artists Exhibition, Royal Academy, Edinburgh
1996 “Die Kunst des Fliegens”, Zeppelin-Museum, Friedrichshafen
Single Exhibitions (Selection)
1991 “Otto Lilienthal”, Künstlerwerkstatt Lothringer Straße, Ladengalerie
Munich (catalogue)
1991 “Bodies, Wings and Paperthings”, with Andreas von Weizäcker,
William Jackson Gallery, London
1992 “Himmel und Erde”, with Prof. Rudolf Seitz, St. Virgil, Salzburg
1993 “Flugskulpturen”, Deutsches Museum,
Flugwerft Schleißheim (catalogue)
1994 “Mercury”, Kulturforum of the city of Dillingen/Saar
1995 Ostufer Galerie, Berg, Starnberger See
1997 “Sculptures for a new Museum”, Imperial War Museum,
London (catalogue)
1998/99 “Apollo”, Antikensammlung, Documenta-Halle,
Staatliche Museen Kassel (catalogue)
2000 “Doryphoros 99-2000”, Wiedereröffnung Schloß Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel
2001 “Skulpturen”, Villa Kobe, Halle/Saale
2001 “Skulpturen”, Georg-Scholz-Haus, Galerie der Stadt Waldkirch
2002 “La nascita di Venere”, Europäisches Patentamt, Muich (catalogue)
2004 “Le sculture”, Mercati di Traiano, Rom (catalogue)
2005 “L’invenzione della ruota”, Radbrunnen, Breisach
2006 “Fotografien und Skulpturen”, with Monica Matthias,
Hohenlohe & Partner, Munich
2007 “Ikarus/Farbklänge”, with Parviz Massoudi, Kunstpavillon,
Alter Botanischer Garten, Munich
2009 “Mythos in Metall”, Glpytothek Munich
2010 „Aiolos“, Luftmuseum Amberg
2011 „Metamorfosi“ Levico Terme, Italy
2013 „Fluxlux“ with Roy Hessing, Museum für Abgüsse Klassischer
Bildwerke, Munich