Born in 1956 in Leverkusen, Germany
Lives and works in Cologne, Germany
The restless world of Thomas Grünfeld expresses itself through mixed media which include sculpture, collages, and installations: the art of Thomas Grünfeld raises mixed feelings in the viewer about what seems familiar and what seems completely artificial and among what appears to be natural and simultaneously extremely unnatural: this induces in the spectator a yes/no reaction when looking at his works. The Eye Paintings, reflective surfaces in resin from which glass eyes crop up, all different one to the others, also play on the same theme as above leaving the spectator with the uncertain feeling that he is being scrutinized by the artwork. The juxtaposition of hybrid elements also nurtures his famous series of Misfit, an assembly of different species of taxidermized animals assembled together according to criteria such as proportion and likelihood, where the main nonconforming element is the natural pose of an unnatural creature.
Grünfeld received his formal training at the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart and is a professor of sculpture at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. His work has been exhibited at the Museum Morsboich in Leverkusen, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf, Museo d‘Arte Contemporanea Villa Croce, Genua, amongst others. Recent group shows include Supernatural. Sculptural visions of the body at Oulu Museum of Art, Oulu, Finland and Kunsthalle Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, Painting still alive at Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, Toruń, Adam, Eve & the Devil at Marres, Maastricht, the Netherlands and Still Life Remix at Antinori Art Project, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Firenze, Italy.
Works by Grünfeld are in the collections of Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Sammlung Anna Friebe-Reininghaus, Köln, Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Sammlung Heinrich Carstens, Berlin, Sammlung Reich, Berlin, Sammlung LBBW Stuttgart, Sammlung Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, Sprengel Museum, Hanover, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, the Netherlands, Museum Boijmans van Breuningen, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Collection Marie-Christine & Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France, Frac Lorraine, Metz, France, Frac Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France, Centro Cultural de Arte Contemporanea, Ciudad de México, Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, USA, Museum 21Century, Louisville, USA, Museu Coleccao Berardo, Lisboa, Portugal, CAL CEGO Collection, Barcelona, Spain.
Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Professorship for sculpture
Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Stuttgart
jene, WENTRUP, Berlin
intercom, Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf
Margaret, Massimo de Carlo, London
Ei/weiß und andere Neuerwerbungen für die Sammlung, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkussen
1&5 (Dieter Krieg Preis), Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
ALMANAC, Corbett vs. Dempsey, Chicago
Homey, Opere 1986 – 2013, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Villa Croce, Genova
Homey, Werke von 1981 bis 2013, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen
Young Steerer (junger Lenker), Hidde van Seggelen Gallery, London
felt, Galerie Haas, Zürich, Switzerland
salon II, jousseentreprise, Paris, France
Heimspiel, McBride Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium
Thébaïde, Galerie Michael Janssen, Berlin, Germany
salon, jousseentreprise, Paris, France
feltri, Massimo de Carlo, Milan, Italy
Galeria Metta, Madrid, Spain
felt felt, Galerie Michael Janssen, Cologne, Germany
homey, jousseentreprise, Paris, France
Galeria OMR (with Peter Zimmermann), Mexico City, Mexico
Polsterblock (‘87 – ‘90) sineflam (3409), Galerie Ulrich Fiedler, Cologne, Germany
new small eye-paintings, Karsten Schubert, London, United Kingdom
Galerie Edward Mitterrand, Geneva, Switzerland
Galerie Haas & Fuchs, Berlin, Germany
jousseentreprise, Paris, France
Chapman Fine Arts, London, United Kingdom
spy, Galerie Monika Sprüht (with Gary Hume and Andreas Schulze), Cologne, Germany
Heimspiel, Galerie Haas & Fuchs, Berlin, Germany
Heimspiel, Galerie Michael Janssen, Cologne, Germany
Galerie Thomas Cohn, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Heimspiel, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA
Galerie Philomene Magers, Munich, Germany
Polsterblock (‘87 – ’90) sineflam (3409), Massimo de Carlo, Milan, Italy
2 (Rottweiler/2) + x/2 + y/2, Forum Kunst, Rottweil, Germany
Gummis/ Installation, Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris, France
Mutter & Kind, Galerie Haas & Fuchs, Berlin, Germany
misfits & eye-paintings, Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris, France
misfit (cow), Karsten Schubert Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Déformation Professionnelle, Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, Germany
Massimo de Carlo, Milan, Italy
Galerie Michael Janssen, Cologne, Germany
against nature, Galeria Antoni Estrany, Barcelona, Spain
Gummis (‘90 – ‘93), Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck, Austria
Daim, Galerie Michael Fuchs, Berlin, Germany
Galerie Ardi Poels, Maastricht, The Netherlands
misfits & eye-paintings, Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris, France
Galerie Ardi Poels, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Gummis, Galerie Carstens, Berlin, Germany
ich darf/ ich soll, Galerie Philomene Magers, Bonn, Germany
Gummis, Galerie Six Friedrich, Munich, Germany
Elend, Gummi (IV) et Prive, Galerie Roger Pailhas, Paris, France
Massimo de Carlo, Milan, Italy
Galerie Ardi Poels, Maastricht, The Netherlands
misfits I – VII, Galerie Tanja Grunert, Cologne, Germany
misfits I – VII, Karsten Schubert Ltd (with Thomas Locher), London, United Kingdom
Paroli, XPO Galerie, Hamburg, Germany
Galerie Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France
Gummis, Watz, Galeria Antoni Estrany, Barcelona, Spain
Galerie Tanja Grunert, Cologne, Germany
Ralph Wernicke Galerie, Stuttgart, Germany
Massimo de Carlo, Milan, Italy
Jay Gorney Modern Art (with Thomas Locher), New York, USA
XPO Galerie (with Willi Kopf), Hamburg, Germany
Sculpture, Interim Art, London, United Kingdom
Karsten Schubert Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna, Austria
XPO Galerie, Hamburg, Germany
Galerie Tanja Grunert, Cologne, Germany
Galerie Tanja Grunert, Cologne, Germany
Ralph Wernicke Galerie, Stuttgart, Germany
Galerie Tanja Grunert, Cologne, Germany
Galerie Schmitz & Becker, Duisburg, Germany
Galerie Tanja Grunert, Stuttgart, Germany
Galerie Grunert Müller, Stuttgart, Germany
Inventur I: Die Dinge, Galerie Klaus Gerrit Friese, Berlin
Painting still alive, Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, Toruń
The Unstrung Harp (curated by Thomas Grünfeld), Parrotta Contemporary Art, Köln & Bonn
Dead Animals, D.W. Bell Gallery/ Brown University, Providence
Adam, Eve & the Devil, Marres, Maastricht
Still Life Remix, a cura di Ilaria Bonacossa, Antinori Art Project, San Casciano Val di Pesa, Firenze,
Iron & Diamonds, Galleria Massimo de Carlo, Milan
Two Collectors: Thomas Olbricht and Harald Falckenberg, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany
Schnitte im Raum: Skulpturale Collagen, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Germany
Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow, Hidde van Seggelen Gallery, London
Use & Mention, Old Royal Naval College, London
Le Dernier Festin, jousseentreprise, Paris
Hydra School Project, Macedonian Museum for Contemporary Art, Athens
Cassini Cruise II, appr, Maastricht
Recommende for Imitation, Ufer-Hallen, Berlin
Le songe d’une nuit d’hiver, jousseentreprise, Paris
SuperStories – Triënnale voor beeldende kunst, mode en design, Z 33, Hasselt
Archeology of the future, Designhuis, Eindhoven, curated by Li Edelkoort
Tier-Perspektiven, Kolbe Museum, Berlin
Extended, ZKM Museum für Neue Kunst, Karlsruhe
Cocker Spaniel and Other Tools for International Understanding, Kunsthalle, Kiel
In Between, une étrange familiarité, Château-Musée de Nemours
Made in Black II, jousseentreprise, Paris
Genesis – die Kunst der Schöpfung, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern
Trade Mark, Galleria Daniele Ugolini, Florence
Expedition ins Tierreich, Sprengel Museum, Hannover
Länderspiel, MMKK Museum für Moderne Kunst, Klagenfurt
Dressing the message, Sprengel Museum, Hannover
Bildspeicher, Akademie Galerie, Düsseldorf
L’Angelo Sigillato, Bigazzi Museum of Russian Icons, Peccioli
Mondo mobili, Sprüth Magers Galerie, Köln
Artempo, Palazzo Fortuny, Venezia
Die Kunst zu sammeln, Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
…und immer fehlt mir was, und das quält mich, Werkstatt Graz, Graz
Absolumental 2, les Abattoirs – Frac Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse
Opere dalla collezione di arte Contemporanea di Ubi-Banca Popolare di Bergamo, Chiostro di Santa Marta, Bergamo
Bloedmooi, het Schielandshuis, Rotterdam
Wunder über Wunder, Kunsthalle, Erfurt
Idylle-Traum und Trugschluß, Galerie der Stadt, Remscheid
Mondo mobili, Monika Sprüth Galerie, Köln
KLF, I-20 Gallery, New York
Die Neue Sammlung- Zweite Präsentation, Akademie-Galerie, Düsseldorf
Goethe abwärts; Deutsche Jungs etc., Mönchehausmuseum für moderne Kunst, Goslar
Globus Dei, Josef Albers Museum, Bottrop
Bêtes de style, Musée de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains, Lausanne
Hybridity, 21 Century Museum, Louisville
Idylle, Phoenix Kulturstiftung, Hamburg/ Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca/ Nationalgalerie, Prague
FASTER! BIGGER! BETTER!, ZKM, Karlsruhe
All we ever wanted was Everything, Centre d’art contemporain la Synagogue de Delme
Diagnose (Kunst), Kunstmuseum, Ahlens
Extraits, Lieu d’Images et d’Art, Grenoble
NATURalia, Galerie Futura, Prague
Roger Paihas, Musée d’Art contemporain, Marseille
Extraits- douze oevres d’une collection privée, LIA/Bastille, Grenoble
Contiene Glutamato, Galeria OMR, Mexico City
Hirnsturm, Kulturzentrum, Bern
In-Formation, Jana Koniarka Gallery, Tyrnau
Wereld. Natuur. Kunst., Staatsbosbeheer in De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam
Collage, Bloomberg Space, London
Grotesque, Burlesque, Parodie, Centre d’art contemporain, Meymac
Animaux, Seedamm Kulturzentrum, Pfäffikon
Instinto, Galeria Fúcares, Almagro
Chimères, Salle du quai Antoine 1, Monaco
OUTLOOK, Benaki Museum, Athens, curated by Christos Joachimides
False Innocense, Joan Miro Foundation, Barcelona
Shadow and light, Sprüht Magers Lee, Salzburg
Super-Abstr-Action, Galeria No Code, Bologna
La part de l’autre, Musée d’art contemporain, Nimes
Summer exhibition, Royal Academy, London
Disturb, Contemporary Art Centre, Saloniki
Reflexions, Philomene Magers, München
Under the skin, Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg
Baumkötter, Grünfeld, Smith, Kunsthaus Thurn und Taxis, Bregenz
The Big Bang, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams MA
Zoom, Ansichten zur deutschen Gegenwartskunst: Sammlung LBBW, Villa Merkel, Esslingen/ Galerie der Stadt Stuttgart/ Würtembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart
My name/ Sammlung Falckenberg, Museum der Bildenden Künste, Leipzig
Rosso Vivo, Padiglione d’arte contemporana, Milano
Dobles Vides, Institut de Cultura, Barcelona
Animal, Le Mairie de Paris, Musée Bourdelle, Paris
Animal. Anima. Animus., Taidemuseo, Pori/ Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle/ Museum Moderne Kunst, Arnhem/ PS. 1, New York City/ Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
Genwelten, Deutsches Hygiene Museum, Dresden/ Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
Kunst ohne Unikat, Künstlerhaus, Graz
Estetiche Cannibale, Palazzo della Triennale, Milano
3rd Biennal, City Gallery of Art, Limerick
Organic, Espace d’Art Moderne et Comtemporain, Toulouse
Body Fiction, Art Gallery, Auckland
Wandstücke IV, Galerie Bob van Orsouw, Zürich
Plastik, Würtembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart
Home sweet Home, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, curated by Zdenek Felix
Young German Artists II, Saatchi Gallery, London
Musterwohnen, Behrenstrasse 28, Berlin
Animaux et animaux, Museum zu Allerheiligen, Schaffhausen
Private View, Bowes Museum, Durham
Happy End, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Hybrids, Stichting de Appel, Amsterdam
Siafo, Exhibition Centre, Seoul
Indoors, estranydelamota, Barcelona
The Bachelor’s Suitcase, Station, Maastricht
Pieces… Meubles…, Grand Dia, Paris
Disneyland After Dark, Konstmuseum Uppsala
Das Genre Tier, Interimsgalerie der Künstler, München/ Kunstwerke e.V., Berlin
Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Galerie Hans Barlach, Hamburg
Kunstwert, Galerie Michael Fuchs, Berlin
Grund: Works from the Collection, Museum Boijmans van Breunigen, Rotterdam
Nature Morte, Galerie Antoine de Galbert, Grenoble
Frankenstein: Exploration in Manipulations and Surrationality, MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, Toronto
The Institute of Cultural Anxiety – Works from the Collection, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
The last garden, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna
Kunst um Kunst, (Grünfeld, Locher,Luckwald, Platino, Römer, Walz, Zimmermann), Kunsthalle Bielefeld
Der 8. Tag, Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum, Linz
Curios & Miribilia, Château d’Oiron, Oiron
Alan Smithee, (Grünfeld, Jenney, Merz, Mucha, Patterson, Shine), Galerie Philomene Magers, Köln
Wall Works, Edition Schellmann, Köln
5th Anniversary Show, Karsten Schubert Ltd., London
Animals, Galerie Anne de Villepoix, Paris
Avantgarde & Kampagne, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Refusing to Surface, John Hansard Gallery Southhampton/ Ikon Gallery, Birmingham/ South London Art Gallery, London, curated by Nick deVille
Humpty Dumpty’s Kaleidoscope, A New Generation ofGerman Artists, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1968, Le Consortium, Dijon.
No, Galerie 1900-2000, Paris
10 Jahre Kunstfonds, Kunstverein Bonn
Long live the New Flesh, (Chatwick, Grünfeld, Serrano), Kettle’s Yard Gallery, Cambridge
Anni Novanta, Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Bologna
Vis a Vis, Anciens Etablissements Sacré, Lüttich
Ars Usu, Haags Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag
Common Market, Richard Kuhlenschmidt Gallery, Los Angeles
allò bell, allò sinistre, Artistes de Colonia, Centre d’Art Santa Monica, Barcelona
Psychologicial Abstraction, Deste Foundation, Athens
Aperto, Biennale, Venice
Un Art de la Distinction, Abbae Saint-André, Meymac
Aspects de la jeune sculpture européene, Fondation Cartier, Paris
Prospect 89, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
Kunst der letzten 10 Jahre, Museum moderner Kunst, Wien
D & S, Kunstverein Hamburg
Einleuchten; Will, Vorstel und Simul in HH, Deichtorhallen Hamburg, curated by Harald Szeemann
Espacios Alemanes, Museo Pablo Gargallo, Saragossa
Abstract tendencies in New German Art, Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles
Grünfeld, Locher, Walz, Galeria Fúcares, Madrid
Skulpturen, Galerie Six Friedrich, München
Denkpause (Förg, Grünfeld, Locher, Trockel, Zimmermann) Karsten Schubert Ltd., London; Interim Art, London
Manierismus subjektiv, Galerie Krinzinger, Wien
Absprünge, Museum für Neue Kunst, Freiburg/ Badischer Kunstverein Karlsruhe
Material Art, Althea Viafora Gallery, New York
Perspektive, Art 17, Basel
Kunstlandschaft BRD, Kunstverein Kassel
7 aus der Klasse Deyer, Städtische Galerie, Stuttgart
Sculpture today, Judy Collins, Berlin 2007, pp. 87/89
Studies in Art Education, Kerry Freedman, Reston, Virginia 2005, pp.234-237
The Molecular Gaze, Suzanne Anker/ Dorothy Nelkin, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 2004, p. 81/ p.97
Kunst entdecken II, Dietrich Grünewald, Berlin 2003, pp. 38-39
Zeichen der Hoffnung, Werner Trutwin, Düsseldorf 2002, p. 210
Art Tomorow, Edward Lucie-Smith, Paris 2002, pp. 13-14
Transgressions/ The Offences of Art, Anthony Julius, London 2002, pp. 143-144
The Postmodern Animal, Steve Baker, London 2000, pp. 57-59
Art at the turn of the millenium, Grosenick/ Riemschneider, Köln 1999, pp. 289-293
Bis heute, Karin Thomas, Köln 1998, p. 407, Abb. 215
What the Butler Saw (selected writings) Stuart Morgan, London 1996, pp. 226-232
Thomas Grünfeld/Felt, Text: Hans Irrek, publ. Galerie Haas AG, Zürich
Thomas Grünfeld, publ. Galleria Metta, Madrid
Spy: Thomas Grünfeld, Gary Hume, Andreas Schulze, Text: Frank Frangenberg, Suhail Malik, publ. Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers, Köln/ München 2000
Thomas Grünfeld, Heimspiel, publ. Monika Sprüth & Philomene Magers, Köln/ München
Thomas Grünfeld, Déformation Professionnelle, Text: Udo Kittelmann und Kathrin Luz, publ. Cantz, Ostfildern
Thomas Grünfeld, selected works ’86 – ’95, publ.: Edition Max Müller, Stuttgart
Thomas Grünfeld, Gummis, publ.: Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck (leaflet)
Thomas Grünfeld, Text: Fernando Castro, publ.: Casa de Cultura, Teneriffa
Thomas Grünfeld, Gummis, Installation, publ.: Galerie Jousse Seguin, Paris (leaflet)
Thomas Grünfeld, Gummis, Watz, publ.: Galeria Antoni Estrany, Barcelona (leaflet)
Thomas Grünfeld, misfits I-VII, Text: Stuart Morgan, publ.: Karsten Schubert Ltd, London
Thomas Grünfeld, Text: Thomas Locher, publ.: Galerie Krinzinger, Wien
Thomas Grünfeld, Text: Stuart Morgan, publ.: Karsten Schubert Ltd, Interim Art,Tanja Grunert, London-Köln
Thomas Grünfeld, Text: Phillippe Sublet, publ.: Tanja Grunert, Köln
Thomas Grünfeld, Text: Hans Brög, Stephanie Rapp, publ.: Galerie Schmitz & Becker, Duisburg
Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Akademiegalerie, Düsseldorf, Kunstakademie, Stuttgart, Sammlung Anna Friebe-Reininghaus, Köln, Sammlung Falckenberg, Hamburg, Sammlung Heinrich Carstens, Berlin, Sammlung Reich, Berlin, Sammlung LBBW Stuttgart, Sammlung Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, Sprengel Museum, Hanover, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, the Netherlands, Museum Boijmans van Breuningen, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Château d’Oiron, Oiron, France, Collection Marie-Christine & Roger Pailhas, Marseille, France, Frac Lorraine, Metz, France, Frac Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, France, Centro Cultural de Arte Contemporanea, Ciudad de México, Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, USA, Museum 21Century, Louisville, USA, Museu Coleccao Berardo, Lisboa, Portugal, CAL CEGO Collection, Barcelona, Spain.