Horst Kohlem (b. 1947, Germany)

Horst Kohlem has worked consistently as a painter and sculptor since he graduated with his Master’s Degree from the Karlsruhe Art Academy. His vast oeuvre has diverse thematic perspectives, including historical, mythological, and environmental themes. His work is known for its physical materiality. His sculptures are made from objects whose everyday context Kohlem deconstructs, so they become relics of our technological age. Through his use of the metallic oxidation process, they gain an archaic dimension. Kohlem’s unique painting technique is achieved by casting the paintings on canvas horizontally to create a thick crusty surface, often like terra cotta. His paintings and sculpture have been widely exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and abroad. Kohlem divides his time between Miami Beach and Karlsruhe, Germany. He has artwork in many private collections and such public collections as the  Stadtische Gallery, Karlsruhe, Germany; Museo do Arte Contemporanea, Sao Paolo, Brazil; and Queens Museum, New York.