Bio
German artist Wolfgang Stiller’s sculptural installations are innovative, very direct and intelligent. Stiller who has had more than 30 solo exhibitions internationally including Greece, Italy, USA, Japan and Czech Republic, presents one of his finest art installations called Matchstick Men. The installation consists of several larger than life half burnt matchsticks which represent people suffering from a work burnout. Through his installation, Stiller aims at highlighting the most common issue amongst the working class professionals in the modern day society – Burnout syndrome. The installation illustrates the harsh impact of the syndrome on human life and how this state of vital exhaustion can create a permanent damage to the physical and mental well being. Simply fantastic!
Artist Statement
I had some head molds sitting in my studio left over from a mannequin production I did for a movie in China. Back then, I was living in Beijing. I also had some pieces of thick bamboo wood lying around from another installation that I had done. I was playing around with those two elements and after awhile the heads ended up on the bamboo sticks.
The meaning and content of a work grows while I’m in the process of doing the physical work. I really like the literal aspect of “matchstick head” in German, (which is) called, “Streichholzkopf.” It refers to an actual head (and) is stronger in the German language.
One could read those burned matches as worn-out or burned-out human beings. The installation can appear like a battlefield or just like some playground where someone played around with matches and dropped them. All the heads I’ve used so far are from Chinese people. This sometimes leads to the assumption that this is a criticism of the Chinese government. One can read it that way, but I think this metaphor could be used for any western system as well.
The matchboxes could be simply seen as formal elements within the installation, as coffins or simply as matchboxes. I actually like to keep it open since I don’t like art that leaves no space for one’s own imagination.
Solo shows
2017
- Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2016
- Tändstickmuseum, Janköpping, Sweden
- Mark Hachem Gallery, Paris
2015
- Galerie Schmalfuss, Berlin, Germany
2014
- Galerie Albert Benamou – Veronique Maxé
- Yeni Cami, former archeolog. museum,Thessaloniki, Dimitria festival Greece
2013
- Python Gallery ,Erlenbach/Zürich, Switzerland
- Art Issue Projects, Taipei, Taiwan
- Voss Kunstlag – Banksmidja, Voss, Norway
- Gallery Basement, Voss, Norway
2012
- Mube,Skulpturen Museum, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Delloro Contemporary Art gallery, Berlin, Germany
- Galeria Simon Nolte, Porto Colom, Mallorca, Spain
- Pingpong Artspace, Taipei, Taiwan
2011
- Kalos & Klio showroom in collaboration with Lola Nikolaou Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece
2010
- Kunstverein Gera, Germany
- Galerie Ling , Berlin, Germany
2009
- Galerie Epikur, Wuppertal Kunstverein Gera, Germany
- Galerie Schmalfuss, Marburg, Germany
2008
- Emerson Gallery Berlin, Germany
2006
- Galleria Cal D’oro Rome, Italy
2005
- Yamamoto Gendai (Gallery), Tokyo, Japan
- Emerson Gallery Berlin, Germany
2003
- C 3 gallery, New York
2001
- Westbeth Gallery, Nagoya, Japan
- “Humanus”, Paulina Kolczynska Fine Art, New York
- Vernon Holdings Fine Art, Prague
2000
- Roentgen Kunstraum,Ikeuchi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1999
- Galleria Scognamiglio & Teano, Napoli, Italy
- Galerie Epikur, Wuppertal, Germany
1998
- Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg
- ART Frankfurt, Förderkoje ,Galerie Markus Nohn, Trier, Germany
- Galerie Markus Nohn, Trier, Germany
1997
- Galerie Markus Nohn, Trier, Germany
- Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg
- Roentgen Kunstraum, Ikeuchi Gallery Tokyo, Japan
1996
- Galerie Cato Jans, Hamburg, Germany
- Galerie Markus Nohn, Trier, Germany
- Museum Bochum, Germany
1995
- Carsten Neumärker Galerie, Koeln, Germany
1994
- Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Galerie Epikur, Wuppertal, Germany
- Roentgen Kunstintitut, Ikeuchi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Goethe Institut Tokyo, Japan
- Artium Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan
- Goethe Institut Kyoto, Japan
1993
- Roentgen Kunstinstitut,Ikeuchi gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1992
- Staedt. Galerie Schloss Oberhausen, Germany
1991
- Studio Galerie Hamburg, Germany
- Kunstverein Ruhr, Essen, Germany
- Petruskirche Berlin, Germany
- Wartbergkirche Heilbronn, Germany
1990
- Kunst und Museumsverein Wuppertal, Germany
1989
- Martin Gropius Bau, Werkbund Archiv, Berlin, Germany
1998
- Galerie Kosmos, Essen, Germany
1986
- Atelier und Galerie Kollektiv, Wuppertal, Germany
Group shows
2018
- Changwon Sculpture Biennale, Korea
2017
- Verleihung der Narrenkappe
Mact/Cact Contemporary Art Museum Ticino Bellinzona, Switzerland
Gallery Lola Nikolaou, Thessaloniki, Greece
2015
- Python Gallery, Zürich Erlenbach, Switzerland
- Agalaus Kunstfestival, Voss, Norway
- Kulturfabrik Apolda, Apolda, Germany
- Wuhan Fine Art Museum, Wuhan, China
- Hôtel de Gallifet/ artcenter, Aix en Provence, France
- Künstlerverein Walkmühle, Wiesbaden, Germany
- 18 + festival, Cluj – Napoca, Romania
- Galerie Simon Nolte, Münster, Germany
- Nanjing 2nd international art festival, Nanjing, China
2014
- 2 man show mit Florian Fausch, Galerie von Fraunberg , Düsseldorf, Germany
Lola Nikolaou gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece
2013
- Bienal de Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil
- Kunstlandskap Fjaler 2013 Dale Sunnfjord, Norway
- Lola Nikolaou Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Stronger Than Fear Is Hope, curated by Bodo Korsig,Schmalfuss Gallery Berlin, Germany
2012
- 2nd International Art festival Kathmandu, Nepal
2011
- Memory Identity, MK2 Space, Beijing, China
- Softpower, Galerie Kvant ,curated by Franziska Leuthäußer, Berlin, Germany
- Nordart 2011, Rendsburg, Germany
- Worldpeacefestival, Freies Museum Berlin, Germany
- Galerie Nolte, Münster, Germany
- 5C/5C, KT&G Sangsangmadang Gallery , Seoul, Korea
- 5C/5C, CIAC, Centro internationale per L’arte contemporanea, Rome, Italy
2010
- Lingering Whispers, St. Pancras Church, London, England
- Nordart, Deutschland, Germany
- Delloro Gallery, Rome, Italy
- Ereignis Druckgrafik 2, Leipzig, Buchmesse, Germany
2009
- Galerie Horschick, Dresden, Germany
- Kolbe Museum – Souterrain Sammlung Hoffmann “ Tier Perspektiven “ Teil 2
2008
- Critical Mass, curated by marc Hungerbuehler, HYCA contemporary art.center ,Beijing, China
- Sewn, East Asia Contemporary gallery, Shanghai, China
- Black and White, Gallery 49, Beijing, China
- Chinese Character Biennial, Beijing, China
2007
- SURGE, curated by Marc Hungerbuehler , 798 international Art Festival , Beijing, China
- Dream Palace, curated by Alfredo Martinez, A-Space, Beijing, China
- Lost Boorders, curated by Alessandro Rolandi, Art Channel Gallery ,Beijing, China
- Must be Gallery,798, Beijing, China
- SEWN, curated by Nikoykatiushka, Segment Space, Beijing, China
- Watermill Auction, Watermill
2006
- New Chinese Occidentalism, curated by Pan Xing Lei, THE HOUSE, Beijing, China
- 2 man show with Pan Xing Lei, Chinese Art base at 798 international Art Festival, Beijing, China
2005
- Made in America, the pickled arts centre, Bejing, China
2004
- Phantastik, Landesmuseum Linz, Austria
- Maze II, The Artists Network, New York
2003
- Kunst auf Rezept, Kunsthalle Erfurt, Germany
- Re do China, Ethan Cohen Fine Arts gallery, New York
- Watermill Auction, Watermill
- Certain Conditions, Waterfront Hall Belfast, Ireland
- Kraftfelder, Installationsprojekt, Krefeld, Germany
2002
- Herforder Kunstverein, Germany
- Wächserne Identitäten, Georg Kolbe Museum, Berlin, Germany
- Staedt. Museum Zwickau, Germany
- Watermill Auction, Watermill
2001
- Museum Ratingen, Germany
- Osaka Trienale, Osaka Museum, Japan
- Watermill Auction, Watermill
2000
- EXPO2000 , DASA Museum, Dortmund, Germany
- Tuchfühlung II, Velbert-Langenberg, Germany
1999
- K. E. Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany
- Galerie Jan Wagner, Berlin, Germany
1998
- Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
1997
- Galerie Markus Nohn, Trier, Germany
- Tuchfühlung, Velbert-Langenberg, Germany
- Roentgen Kunstraum, Ikeuchi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1996
- Discordia, Kunstverein, Kunsthaus Hamburg, Germany
1995
- Ursula Blickle Stift.Kunstpreis Installation, Kraichtal, Germany
- Platons Höhle, K.E.Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany
1994
- Bekömmlich, Kunsthaus Hamburg, Germany
1992
- Tiefgang, Schlossbunker, Mannheim, Germany
1991
- RoentgenKunstinstitut, Ikeuchi gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Kunstbühne in der “Open Box”, K.E.Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany
1990
- Imitationen, K.E.Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany
- Studio Galerie, Hamburg, Germany
1987
- Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal, Germany
- Kunstpreis junger Westen, Kunsthalle Recklinghausen, Germany
- Manus Presse Stuttgart, Germany
1986
- ART WIRE, Messe Düsseldorf, Germany
- Bad, Wanderausstellung, Bad Nauheim, Wiesbaden, Germany
- Städt. Galerie Gladbeck, Germany
1985
- Von der Heydt Museum, Wuppertal, Germany
1984
- Von der Heydt Museum,Wuppertal, Germany
Awards
1986 ART Stiftung Plaas, Germany
1991 Kunst und Kirche Heilbronn, Germany
1991 Arbeitsstipendium, Senat Berlin, Germany
1991 Kunstpreis Sickingen, Germany
1993 Artist In Residence, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Artist In Residence, Istanbul, Berliner Senat
2000 ISP studio program, New York
2009 Kunstfonds Grant
Public collection
Wuhan museum of fine art, Wuhan, China
Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern Museum, Germany
K. E. Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany
Public Collection of Land Hessen, Germany
Museum Bochum, Germany
DASA Museum, Dortmund, Germany
Museum Belden an Zee, Scheveningen, Netherland