*1979
2001-2007 Academy of Fine Arts, Nuremberg, visual art / painting studies
2007 Master student, Prof. Hans-Peter Reuter
2006-2009 State University of Art and Design, Karlsruhe, media art / photography studies, Prof. Elger Esser and Prof. Mischa Kuball
2008/2009 artistic assistance, Prof. Michael Bielicky
Awards / Scholarships
2024 Catalogue-sponsorship by zumikon kulturstiftung, Nuremberg
2024 Artist-in-Residence, Künstlerhaus im Schloßgarten (KiS), Cuxhaven
2022 Stiftung Kunstfonds Bonn, Neustart Kultur
2021 Artist-in-Residence, Galerie Klatovy/Klenová (CZ)
2018 Catalogue-sponsorship by „LfA Förderbank“, Munich and zumikon kulturstiftung, Nuremberg
2017 Art Award, City of Nuremberg
2013 Portfolio-Review, Duesseldorf Photo Weekend
2012 DAAD-Scholarship for USA
2011 Catalogue-sponsorship by „LfA Förderbank“, Munich
2006/2007 Scholarship, Freistaat Bayern for University of Art and Design, Karlsruhe
2006 Academical Award, AdbK Nuremberg
Selected exhibitions
2025
Conjunction, Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg
Ostrale Biennale, Dresden
20 Jahre Kunstverein Markdorf
es ist was es ist, Galerie Kunstwerk, Landshut
another place, Galerie Z, Stuttgart (solo)
art Karlsruhe
2024
Elysium, Galerie Drees, Hannover (solo)
Private View, Galerie Kunstwerk, Landshut (solo)
X-Mas, MaxiKunst, Nürnberg
Update #Summer, Galerie Drees, Hannover
Deutsch-Polnisches Künstlersymposium, CKiR Santok/Gorzów (PL)
NN Kunstpreis, Kunsthaus, Nürnberg
Wenn der Boden versickert…, Künstlerhaus im Schloßgarten, Cuxhaven
Backstage Reality, Coelner Zimmer, Düsseldorf
Wonderland, Galerie Kunstwerk, Landshut
art Karlsruhe
2023
Still Leben, Kunstkontor Nürnberg
Udo Albrecht & Johannes Kersting, Kunstverein Hochrhein, Bad Säckingen
Haus am See, Galerie Kunstwerk, Landshut (solo)
M A G N I F I K, JO21 by Galerie Z, Stuttgart
just painting, Projektraum Studio, Hamburg
Art Salon, Zürich
30. Aichacher Kuntpreis, Kunstverein Aichach
In Erinnerung an Claudia Jennewein, Kunstkontor Nürnberg
Locked out, St. Egidien Kulturkirche, Nürnberg
art Karlsruhe (Galerie Robert Drees)
Art on paper, Amsterdam (Galerie Robert Drees)
2022
REMINISZENZEN der Sammlung Appelt, Wenzelburg, Lauf a. d. Pegnitz
Elb/Hängung #2 [Villa at the Elbhang], Hamburg
Deutsch-Polnisches Künstlersymposium, CKiR Santok/Gorzów (PL)
Elb/Hängung [Villa Elbchaussee], Hamburg
Accrochage, Galerie Robert Drees, Hannover
2021
Wirklich nah ist auch ganz fern, Kunstverein Markdorf
Things to say, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg (solo)
space oddity, Dorothee Liebscher & Johannes Kersting, Galerie Robert Drees, Hannover
Mandarine 37.047, Ausstellungsraum Becker, Frankfurt/Main (solo)
Architales, Kunstkontor Nürnberg
Sweet Home, Kulturpalast Anwanden
2020
from dawn till dusk, Galerie Robert Drees, Hannover
View #10, BBK Nuremberg
Kunstpreis der Nürnberg Nachrichten, Kunsthaus Nuremberg
Millerntor Gallery, Benefiz-Auktion Hamburg
Kunstanschlag, Projektbüro Kultur Nuremberg
2019
Nachts allein im Atelier VI, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg
Ping-Pong, sculpture projects, Nuremberg
Ostrale, Biennial for contemporary Art, Dresden
Inception #6, My Husband is Dead, Kunstverein Amrum
2018
Glimpsing, Auf AEG, Nuremberg
Sonderfarben, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg (solo)
#summertime, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg
Raumbewältigungsstrategien, Kulturpalast Anwanden
Urbane Begegnungen, Galerie Robert Drees, Hannover
2017
Nachts allein im Atelier III, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg
november, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg
Affordable Art Fair, Hamburg
Salon der Gegenwart, Hamburg
nach gestern und über heute, Künstlerhaus Eckernförde
AbstractRealism, Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg
Reality under construction, now is here, Bonn (solo)
Affordable Art Fair, Brussels (BE)
2016
Nachts allein im Atelier III, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg
Kunstbörse, Gummersbach
deep surface, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg (solo)
Artmuc, Munich
Expression und Konstruktion, Kunstverein Radolfzell (solo)
Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie
Watchlist 1/16, Galerie Evelyn Drewes, Hamburg (solo)
Forum Junge Kunst, Pilsen (CZ)
2015
Forum Junge Kunst, CeBB Schönsee, Städtische Galerie Regensburg
p/art, producers art fair, Hamburg
NN Kunstpreis, Kunsthaus Nuremberg / Prague (CZ)
Chromophilie, Künstlerhaus Göttingen (solo)
Huntenkunst, Ulft (NL)
2014
On the Road, Photobastei Zürich (CH)
im Dialog, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg (solo)
meet! 2014, Städtische Galerie Kubus, Hannover
2013
Galerie Hauser-Hofmann, Schaffhausen (CH; solo)
weit draußen und tief drinnen. Bilder der Nacht, kunst galerie fürth
Roundtable Exhibition, National Arts Club, New York (USA)
Secret Window, Frankfurt/Main
Zollart, Altes Zollamt, Heidelberg
2012
Cutting Edge, Frappant e.V., Hamburg
Everyday Formalism, Deutsches Haus, New York (USA)
Elusive Space, Henn Galerie, Munich
2011
25 Sima Galerie, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg
Reign of Art II, Frankfurt/Main
Reign of Art, Berlin
Legal U-Turn, Plattform 3/3, Friedrichshafen (solo)
2010
Stadt Land Bild, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg (solo)
Johannes Kersting, Galerie Hauser-Hofmann, Thayngen, (CH; solo)
2009
Tago Mago, Galería Fúcares, Almagro (ES)
I‘ll keep this secret inside, Canon Plex Gallery, Seoul (KR)
six views on photography, Galerie de Zaal, Delft (NL)
Alpineum minimale, Produzentengalerie Luzern (CH)
2008
Contemporary Art Ruhr Forum 08, Kokerei, Essen
Feldforschung, Zumikon, Nuremberg (solo)
2007
For Attention, Galerie Sima, Nuremberg
Anonyme Zeichner No. 6, Blütenweiß e.V., Berlin
1A18, Lothringer 13, Munich
How to look at Venice, Galleria Contemporaneo, Mestre (IT)
Start Point 2007, Galerie Klatovy (CZ)
2006
Der große Saloon, Saloon Galerie, Karlsruhe
Catalogues / Publications
Digustare Art, 2003 (K)
How to look at Venice, Galleria Contemporaneo, Mestre, 2007 (K)
1234567, HfG Karlsruhe, 2007 (K)
anonyme Zeichner No. 6, limited edition, Blütenweiß e.V., Berlin, 2007
Start Point 2007, Galerie Klatovy/Klenová, Klatovy, 2007 (K)
.temp, HfG Karlsruhe, 2008 (K)
Tago Mago, Galería Fúcares, Almagro/Madrid, 2009 (K)
Chronik, MK/Fotografie, HfG Karlsruhe, 2009
Die unendliche Schleife, Zumikon / Institut für moderne Kunst, Nuremberg, 2009
Johannes Kersting: Fotografie und Malerei, Galerie Hauser/Hofmann, Thayngen, 2010 (K)
Carlo Mollino, in: Weltkunst Living, München, 2011
Frame #4: Jahrbuch der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Photographie, Steidl-Verlag, Göttingen, 2012
weit draußen und tief drinnen. Bilder der Nacht, kunst galerie fürth, 2013 (K)
Chromophilie, abele-kersting-publications, Nuremberg, 2015
Daily Drawings, abele-kersting-publications, Nuremberg, 2015
Forum Junge Kunst Bayern – Tschechien 2015, CeBB, Schönsee, 2015 (K)
Kunstpreis der Nürnberger Nachrichten, Nuremberg, 2015 (K)
p/art – producers artfair, Hamburg, 2015 (K)
Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie. Projektion, fotografische Behauptungen, Darmstadt, 2016 (K)
Kunstsequenzen, Künstlerhaus Göttingen, 2017 (K)
Sonderfarben, abele-kersting publications, Nuremberg, 2018
Backstage Reality, abele-kersting publications, Nuremberg, 2022
Backstage realities
In his paintings, photographs, and installation works, Johannes Kersting explores the psychological and cultural implications of images we create of places and landscapes. The tension between reality and imagination, their interplay in the image are the focus of his interest.
Kersting analyzes stagings and constructions of classical painting, cinema and video games in order to reveal narrative and effect mechanisms of popular image worlds.
In analyzing these visual worlds, Kersting traces above all our social understanding of the landscape. This highly symbolic projection surface can be understood as mere fiction, as an environment to be exploited, as a threatening elemental force, or even as a quasi-utopian place of symbiotic coexistence between man and nature. In the depiction of certain places, our attitude towards the world, our narrative of a modern living space, always becomes palpable.
Kersting uses means of photography, AI-supported imaging, as well as classical digital and analog tools to extract specific formulations from the collective pictorial memory and translate them into paintings. Inspired by the photographic tradition of New Topographics, he often works serially in his painting and is interested in the contrast between nature and man-made constructions, the experience of spatial structures altered by human hands in the image. Visualizations of pathos, beauty, and sublimity are not taboo zones for Kersting in this process, but welcome qualities of image-making that reveal the levels of meaning of the visibility of landscape and its modes of observation.
Johannes Kersting, 2023