John Kleckner in Königsheide Forest, Berlin, August 2022.
Photo by Eva Maria Salvador.
John Kleckner is known for making finely detailed paintings, drawings, and collages that use mimesis, fragmentation, juxtaposition, synecdoche, and stylistic clashing to explore ideas and feelings about nature, resilience, solitude, perception, and balance. He has exhibited his artwork professionally since 2003, presenting 11 solo exhibitions at galleries in Athens, Berlin, Los Angeles, Milan, Palermo, Paris, and Stockholm. His works are featured in prominent collections including, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA in New York, Magasin 3 Konsthalle in Stockholm, Deste Foundation in Athens, the Miettinen Collection in Berlin, and the Saatchi Collection in London. He has exhibited in institutions such as the Athens Biennial in Greece, Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, Castrum Peregrini in Amsterdam, CAPC Musée d’art Contemporain in Bordeaux, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea in Lissone, Kunstraum Innsbruck, the Marres Centre for Contemporary Culture in Maastricht, the Riso Museo d’Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia in Palermo, and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. In 2021 he received a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Artist Grant, and in 2022 was among 3 finalists for the 26th Wilhelm Morgner Preis for painting in Soest, Germany. He is a professor of painting & drawing at Bard College Berlin.
John Kleckner
Born in Osage, Iowa, USA, 1978. Lives & works in Berlin, Germany since 2007.Education
2002 Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Iowa, USA Teaching Experience
from 2023 Professor of Studio Art, Bard College Berlin 2013–2022 Adjunct Professor, Bard College Berlin2010–2012 Adjunct Professor, New York University, Berlin 2007 Visiting Lecturer, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
Grants / Prizes / Residencies
2022 Finalist (final 3) for the 26th Wilhelm Morgner Preis2021 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Artist Grant 2014 Viaggio in Sicilia, Residency at Planeta, Menfi, Italy2011 Domani, a Palermo, Residency at Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea, Palermo Solo Exhibitions
2024 Flock of None, Berlin2024 Five Flights Up at St. George's, Berlin2023 Clasp, Wirwir: A Casual Corridor, Berlin2019 Desert Rumors, Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea, Milan2017 Years Disappear, Galerie Judin, Berlin 2015 Galerie Dukan, Paris 2013 My Building Disappeared, Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea, Milan 2012 Lesser-Known Surrealist Drawings, Fruit and Flower Deli, Stockholm 2011 Grazie, Prego, Scusi, Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea, Palermo 2010 An Ear in a Pond, a Tooth in the Wall, a Knife in the Socket, Gazonrouge, Athens 2009 The Master Cleanser, Peres Projects, Los Angeles2009 The 40 Seasons, Peres Projects, Berlin 2006 Peres Projects, Los Angeles2006 Peres Projects, Berlin Duo Exhibitions
2022 John Kleckner & Nick Lowe, Blossom Market, Los Angeles2021 Sidesteps: Roughly Edged (with Maximilian Arnold), Goeben, Berlin2012 Köpfe & Helme II, (with Eva Maria Salvador) S.la.M., Berlin2011 Köpfe & Helme, (with Eva Maria Salvador) Ninety-Five Torstr., Berlin2011 John Kleckner & Riley Payne, Tristian Koenig Gallery, Melbourne2011 Those Ghosts, (with Patrick Tuttofuoco) Peres Projects, BerlinSelected Group Exhibitions
2023 Drawings, HVW8, Berlin2023 Ricochet, Wirwir, Berlin2023 Deep Depths in Shallow Waters, Iraklia Port, Iraklia Island, Greece2022 Wilhelm Morgner Preis 2022, Wilhelm Morgner Museum, Soest2021 Return of the Dragons: Chinatown 1998-2008, Blossom Market, Los Angeles2021 On The Corner, HVW8, Berlin2020 Abstract Art from the Miettinen Collection, Miettinen Collection, Berlin2020 Quando non aveva nome il Cielo, Casa Balat, Noto, Sicily2018 Ich bin ein Riss, ich will durch Wände gehen, Salon Dahlmann, Berlin2018 You Are Just a Piece of Action, Salon Dahlmann, Berlin2015 Dead: A Celebration of Mortality, Saatchi Gallery, London2015 Viaggio in Sicilia: When the Landscape Listens, Riso Museo d’Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia, Palermo 2013 Paper, Saatchi Gallery, London2012 BERLIN.STATUS 2, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin 2011 A Painting Show, Autocenter Contemporary Art Berlin, Berlin2011 BigMinis: Fetishes of Crisis, CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux2010 Premio Lissone 2010, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Lissone2010 Thrice upon a time, Magasin III Foundation for Contemporary Art, Stockholm2009 Opéra Rock, CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux, Bordeaux2009 Aura, Castrum Peregrini, Amsterdam 2008 Nevertheless, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin2008 The End Was Yesterday Part II, Kunstraum Innsbruck, Innsbruck 2007 Destroy Athens: 1st Athens Biennial, Athens2007 RAW: Among the Ruins, Marres − Centre for Contemporary Culture, Maastricht2006 Panic Room. Works from Dakis Joannou Collection, DESTE Foundation, Athens 2005 The Zine UnBound: Kults, Werewolves, and Sarcastic Hippies, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco2003 RETREAT, Peres Projects, Los Angeles Selected Collections
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York Magasin III Museum & Foundation for Contemporary Art, Stockholm Miettinen Collection, Helsinki and Berlin Saatchi Gallery, London Monographs
2017 John Kleckner: Years Disappear. Edited by Juerg Judin and Pay Matthis Karstens. Exh. cat. Galerie Judin, Berlin. Berlin: Galerie Judin 2007 John Kleckner. Edited by Daisuke Nishimura. Tokyo: Someone's Garden.
Exhibition Catalogues
2022 Wilhelm Morgner Preis 2022, Edited by Dr. Thomas Oyen and Dr. Annette Werntze. Exh cat. Wilhelm Morgner Museum, Soest. 2018 Ich bin ein Riss, Ich will durch Wände gehen, Edited by Timo Miettinen & Florian Peters-Messer. Exh cat. Salon Dahlmann, Berlin. 2015 Viaggio in Sicilia: When the Landscape Listens. Edited by Valentina Bruschi. Exh. cat. Riso Museo d’Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia, Palermo. Palermo: Riso Museo d’Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia 2013 Paper. Edited by Philippa Adams. Exh. cat. Saatchi Gallery, London. London: Saatchi Gallery2013 BERLIN.STATUS 2. Edited by Sven Drühl and Christoph Tannert. Exh. cat. Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin. Bönen: Kettler 2011 BigMinis: Fetishes of Crisis. Edited by Alex Vaillant. Exh. cat. CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux. Berlin: Sternberg Press 2010 Thrice Upon a Time. Edited by Richard Julin, Elisabeth Millqvist, Tessa Praun and Karin Thunberg. Exh. cat. Magasin III Museum & Foundation for Contemporary Art, Stockholm. 2009 Compass in Hand: Selections from the Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection. Edited by Christian Rattemeyer. Exh. cat. Museum of Modern Art, New York. New York: Museum of Modern Art2009 Opéra Rock. Edited by Alexis Vaillant. Exh. cat. CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux. Berlin and New York: Sternberg Press 2008 Légende. Edited by Alexis Vaillant. Exh. cat. Domaine departemental Chamarande. Berlin and New York: Sternberg Press 2008 Mythym. Edited by Trinie Dalton. Brooklyn: PictureBox2007 RAW: Among the Ruins. Edited by Lisette Smits and Alexis Vaillant. Exh. cat. Marres − Centre for Contemporary Culture. Rotterdam: Veenman2007 Destroy Athens: 1st Athens Biennial. Edited by Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Poka-Yio and Augustine Zenakos. Exh. cat. 1st Athens Biennial. Athens: Futura