Albrecht Fuchs photographs personalities who fascinate him, ranging from politicians to musicians. Most often his subjects are artists. His interest in artist portraiture seems to have originated in 1995 with a series of Martin Kippenberger portraits. For the documentation of M.K.-Projekt "Metro Net", Fuchs accompanied Kippenberger to Dawson City in Canada. Later, photographs in Kippenberger's Cologne studio and the Black Forest were added. Fuchs allowed himself to be inspired by Kippenberger, who was keenly aware of his photogenic qualities. Since then, many artists portraits have followed, including those of Lawrence Weiner, Mike Kelley, John Baldessari, Jonathan Meese, Elizabeth Peyton, Ed Ruscha, Matthew Barney, Raymond Pettibon, Paul McCarthy, Franz West, Cosima von Bonin, Wolfgang Tillmans, Gregor Schneider and Dana Schutz.
The artist portrait has a long tradition in photography, historically going back to artists such as August Sander, Man Ray and Hans Namuth. Although the framework of classical portraiture is evident in the carefully structured compositions, Fuchs' subjects appear at ease in front of the camera, offering a candid portrayal. All artists are photographed from a respectful distance, often in their home or studio, revealing as much through their surroundings as through their own gaze.
Fuchs was born in 1964 in Bielefeld, Germany and lives and works in Cologne. He received a degree in photography from the Gesamthochshule Essen, and his photography has been regularly featured in magazines and art periodicals. In 2005, he participated in the Goethe Institute Exchange Program, Kuala Lumpur. Fuchs currently teaches photography at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
Solo Exhibitions
2020 Zwei, Nagel Drexler Kabinet, Berlin.
2018 31 Portaits, Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne.
2016 Die Anderen, Galerie Nagel Draxler Projects, Cologne.
2012 Im Letzten Licht, Temporary Gallery Cologne, Koln.
2008 Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Arts, Knokke, Belgium.
Mireille Mosler, Ltd, New York.
2007 Galerie Lena Brüning, Berlin.
2005 Frehrking Wiesehöfer, Cologne.
2003/2004 Reger Forum für Zeitgenössische Fotografie, Munich
2002 Annet Gelink Gallery, Amsterdam.
Frehrking Wiesehöfer, Cologne
2001 Paris Photo 2001, Statement at Frehrking Wiesehöfer, Cologne.
2000 Galerie Katja Rid München.
Group exhibitions:
2020 Great Small Works, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Arts, Knokke, Belgium.
2018 Portrait, Kunstraum Düsseldorf.
2017 curated_by Johannes Wohnseifer, Galerie Elisabeth und Klaus Thoman, Vienna.
2016 With different eyes, The portrait in contemporary photography, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (cat.).
2014 Through My Eye, Artist Portraits (with Ed Van Der Elsken and Arnold Newman), Annet Gelink Gallery,
Amsterdam.
2012 Kids, Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin, Germany.
2009 Menschen am Sonntag, Vanmoerkerke Collection, Oostende, Belgium (curated by David Claerbout).
2008 'Collection Hans Kemna', De Hallen, Haarlem, Netherlands
2007 „darstellung vorstellung“: 10 positions of contemporary german photography,
Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen.
„What does the jellyfish want?“, Museum Ludwig, Cologne
2006 SK-Stiftung Köln, „Portrait und Menschenbild (Art Cologne)
2005/2006 Berlin, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Hanoi etc. „artcconnexions“
2005 c/o Berlin, Berlin „Born in the 60s“
Valentine Willies Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur
2002/2003 Mai 36, Zürich
Galerie Gaby Kraushaar, Düsseldorf
2001 Galerie Nikolas Krupp, Basel
2000 Kölnischer Kunstverein „Jahresgaben“
1997 Stadtmuseum München, „wirklich“ - 7 postionen zeitg. Fotogr.
neugerriemschneider, Galerie Reckemann, Galerie Wittenbrink,
contemporary german photography“
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
West LB Collection, Düsseldorf
MOCA, Los Angeles
