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