Jirí Georg Dokoupil NEW WORKS

Jiri Georg Dokoupil was born in 1954 in Krnov, then Czechoslovakia, and in the seventies he studied fine art in Cologne, Frankfurt and New York. In 1982 he had one-man exhibitions in Cologne, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Paris. At the beginning of the eighties Dokoupil was a prominent member of the German neo-expressionist group Mülheimer Freiheit (together with Walter Dahn and four other artists). The artistic propositions of this group which coincided with similar ideas in the USA and in Italy, were greeted by excitement from art critics and, in retrospect, belong to one of the most influential movements of the international art scene of the eighties. Since 1983 Dokoupil has taught as a guest professor at the art academies of Dusseldorf, Madrid and Kassel.

Dokoupil's work is difficult to describe using common classifications. There is no consistent style in his work. This is why Dokoupil can be described as an exemplary post-modern artist. Directness, the ability to express himself strongly and the analysis of eroticism characterise his paintings. Extensive picture cycles in which he elegantly adapts styles of avant-garde art movements, such as abstraction, surrealism or pop art recur. His work is influenced by the pictorial language of comics and advertising, which is simultaneously cited and alienated through parody. The works have a strongly self-referential character. The artist continuously renews his work by the invention of new techniques and styles, for instance since 1989 by the creation of so-called soot paintings, in which the flame of a candle replaces the paintbrush. Recently the artist adopted a new technique using pigment and paint to create images ranging from „Bullfights" to „Flower Stilllifes".

The stylistically and iconographically extremely varied work of this painter, draughtsman and sculptor has been exhibited since the eighties at prestigious museums and institutions such as the Museum Folkwang Essen (1984), Kunsthaus Luzern (1985), Espace Lyonnais d'Art Contemporain (1985), Fundación Caja de Pensiones, Madrid (1989), Horsens Kunstmuseum, Lunden (1991), Kunsthalle Kiel (1992) and Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Wien (1997), Chateau de Chenonceau, France (1999), Palacio de Velasquez, Madrid (2000). Works of the artist are to be found in the Nationalgalerie Berlin, Neues Museum, Weimar, Musée National d'Art Moderne in the Centre Pompidou, Paris, Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, and Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2000), and various other collections. Jiri Georg Dokoupil currently lives and works in Berlin, Madrid and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The exhibition at Galerie Bruno Bischofberger lasts until 16 September 2000. Dokoupils works were first exhibited at Galerie Bruno Bischofberger in 1987 - The Gallery now represents the artist exclusively worldwide.

From 23 May to 13 August 2000 the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia, Madrid is showing an impressive solo - exhibition at Palacio de Velasquez of the artists most significant work groups from the past 20 years. An extensive book has been published on the occasion of this exhibition - it can be ordered through the museum.

Jirí Georg Dokoupil
"NEW WORKS"