Artists should not look to the
left or the right. Art should
be strong and nonconformist
—and most importantly, art
should always be personal.
ISA GENZKEN, INTERVIEW, 2014
ISA GENZKEN
Born in 1948, Bad Oldesloe
Lives and works in Berlin, Germany
Isa Genzken has long been considered one of Germany’s most important and influential contemporary artists. Her primary media are sculpture and installation, using a wide variety of materials, including concrete, plaster, wood and textile. She also works with photography, video, film and collage. Born in 1948 in Bad Oldesloe, Germany, Isa Genzken studied fine arts, art history, and philosophy in Hamburg, Berlin, and Cologne, before completing her studies at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 1977. Since 2004, her work has been represented by David Zwirner. In 2019, she was the recipient of the Nasher Prize, awarded every April by the Nasher Sculpture Center, in Dallas. Isa Genzken’s totemic sculptures, colourful mirrored panels and lacquered paintings articulate the artist’s mysterious method. Harvesting, fusing and re-constructing references from myriad sources, she takes an anything-goes approach to the materials she uses to convey multiple meanings in unexpected ways.
The column for Isa Genzken is a recurring motif: its linear purity becomes a critical field on which she explores the relations between art, architecture, design, and social experience. Her work has been prominently featured in international biennials and group exhibitions including the 2007 Venice Biennale, where she represented Germany. Work by the artist is represented in museum and public collections worldwide, including the Dallas Museum of Art; Gemeentemuseum, The Hague; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; and the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven.

Hanne-Rose «Isa» Genzken was raised mostly in the small northern German city of Bad Oldesloe and in Hamburg.

She studied fine arts and art history with Almir Mavignier and Kai Sudeck at the Hamburg University of Fine Arts (1968–1971) and the Berlin University of the Arts (1971–1973).

To pay her tuition, Genzken worked part-time as a model.

In 1973 she transferred to Arts Academy Düsseldorf while also studying art history and philosophy at the University of Cologne.

Upon graduating in 1977, Genzken taught sculpture at the academy. She married German visual artist Gerhard Richter in 1982 and moved to Cologne in 1983. The couple separated in 1993.

Genzken has worked in studios in Düsseldorf, Cologne (designed in 1993 by architect Frank Tebroke); for short stretches in the United States, in Lower Manhattan and Hoboken, New Jersey; and currently in Berlin.

After her divorce from Richter, she moved from the Rhineland region back to Berlin.

GALLERY

Grove of Olive Trees in Bordighera, 1884
65x81cm oil/canvas
Private collection

AWARDS

2019 Nasher Prize, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas TX

2017 Kaiserring der Stadt Goslar, Goslar, Germany

2004 Internationaler Kunstpreis, Kulturstiftung Stadtsparkasse München, Munich, Germany

2002 Wolfgang-Hahn-Preis, Museum Ludwig Köln, Cologne, Germany

1980 Kunstpreis Berlin, Berlin, Germany

1978 - 1980 Karl Schmidt-Rottluff-Stipendium, Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e. V., Germany 1977 Grant for USA from the State Art Academy, Dusseldorf, Germany

EXHIBITIONS

2020
KAT_A Kunst Am Turm_Andra, 'Isa Genzken – Wolfgang Tillmans', Bad Honnef-Rhöndorf, Germany
Kunstmuseum Basel, 'Isa Genzken. Werke 1973-1983', Basel, Switzerland
Hauser & Wirth, 'Window', London, UK

2019
Peder Lund, 'Isa Genzken', Oslo, Norway
Charles Asprey, 'Isa Genzken', London, UK
Kunsthalle Bern, 'Isa Genzken', Bern, Switzerland

2018
Galerie Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. Aussenprojekte', Berlin, Germany

2017
Galerie König, 'Isa Genzken. Issie Energie', Berlin, Germany
Mönchehaus Museum Goslar, 'Isa Genzken: Kaiserringträgerin der Stadt Goslar 2017', Goslar, Germany
David Zwirner, 'Isa Genzken: Sky Energy', New York NY

2016
Bundeskunsthalle Bonn, 'Isa Genzken. Models for Outdoor Projects', Bonn, Germany
Galerie Buchholz, 'Portraits', New York NY
Hauser Wirth & Schimmel, 'I Love Michael Asher', Los Angeles CA
Gropius Bau, 'Isa Genzken. Mach dich hübsch!', Berlin, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)
Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Central Park, 'Isa Genzken. Two Orchids', New York NY

2015
David Zwirner, 'Isa Genzken', New York NY
Hauser & Wirth, 'Isa Genzken. Geldbilder', London, UK
Institute of Contemporary Arts, 'Isa Genzken. Basic Research Paintings', London, UK
Galerie Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. El Salvador', Berlin, Germany
Stedelijk Museum, 'Isa Genzken. Mach dich hübsch!', Amsterdam, Netherlands (Travelling Exhibition)
MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, 'Isa Genzken. New Works', Frankfurt am Main, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)

2014
Museum of Contemporary Art, 'Isa Genzken: Retrospective', Chicago IL (Travelling Exhibition)
Museum der Moderne Salzburg, 'Isa Genzken. New Works', Salzburg, Austria (Travelling Exhibition)
The Dallas Museum of Art, 'Isa Genzken: Retrospective', Dallas TX (Travelling Exhibition)
Kunsthalle Wien, 'I'm Isa Genzken, the Only Female Fool', Vienna, Austria
Inverleith House, 'Isa Genzken: Botanical Garden', Edinburgh, UK
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, 'Isa Genzken. Basic Research Paintings', Turin, Italy (Travelling Exhibition)

2013
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. Early Works', Berlin, Germany
MoMA Museum of Modern Art, 'Isa Genzken: Retrospective', New York NY (Travelling Exhibition)
neugerriemschneider, 'Isa Genzken', Berlin, Germany
Werkstattgalerie, 'Isa Genzken. Werke aus Deutschland unterwegs', Berlin, Germany
Accademia Tedesca Roma Villa Massimo, 'Soltanto un quadro al massimo: Isa Genzken – Giuseppe Penone', Rome, Italy

2012
Hauser & Wirth, 'Isa Genzken. Hallelujah', Zurich, Switzerland
Schinkel Pavillon, 'Isa Genzken. Hallelujah', Berlin, Germany
Hauser & Wirth, 'Isa Genzken', London, UK

2010
New Museum, 'Isa Genzken: Rose II', New York NY (Long-term Outdoor Installation)
Museion, 'Isa Genzken', Bolzano, Italy
Galerie Chantal Crousel, 'Isa Genzken. Mona Isa', Paris, France

2009
Museum für Moderne Kunst, 'Isa Genzken. Drei Vollellipsoide Skulpturen. 1978', Frankfurt, Germany
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. Wind', Berlin, Germany
Whitechapel Art Gallery, 'Isa Genzken: Open Sesame!', London, UK (Travelling Exhibition)
Museum Ludwig Köln, 'Isa Genzken: Sesam, öffne Dich!', Cologne, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)
Jarla Partilager, 'Isa Genzken', Berlin, Germany
neugerriemschneider, 'Isa Genzken. Wind', Berlin, Germany
Rat Hole Gallery, 'Isa Genzken. Oil VX/XVI', Tokyo, Japan

2008
Hauser & Wirth, 'Isa Genzken. Ground Zero', London, UK
Between Bridges, 'Isa Genzken. Ground Zero (2)', London, UK
Malmö Konsthall, 'Isa Genzken. Hair grows how it wants to', Malmö, Sweden

2007
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 'Isa Genzken. Wir sind hier in Dresden', Dresden, Germany
La Biennale di Venezia, 'Isa Genzken. Oil', German Pavilion at the 52nd International Art Exhibition, Venice, Italy
David Zwirner, 'Isa Genzken. New Work', New York NY

2006
neugerriemschneider, 'Isa Genzken', Berlin, Germany
Kunsthalle zu Kiel, 'Isa Genzken. Skulptur', Kiel, Germany
Wiener Secession, 'Isa Genzken', Vienna, Austria
Galerie im Taxispalais, 'Isa Genzken', Innsbruck, Austria
Camden Arts Centre, 'Sport', London, UK

2005
The Photographers’ Gallery, 'Isa Genzken. Der Spiegel 1989-1991', London, UK
David Zwirner, 'Isa Genzken: New Work', New York NY
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. Kinder Filmen', Cologne, Germany

2004
Hauser & Wirth, 'Isa Genzken. Wasserspeier and Angels', London, UK
Lenbachhaus, 'Empire Vampire', Munich, Germany
China Art Objects Gallery, 'Andy Alexander and Isa Genzken', Los Angeles CA

2003
neugerriemschneider, 'Empire Vampire - Teil II, thanks for coming', Berlin, Germany
The Wrong Gallery, 'Isa Genzken. Berlin Headlines', New York NY

2002
Museum Ludwig, 'Isa Genzken. Wolfgang-Hahn-Preis', Cologne, Germany
Museum Abteiberg, 'Isa Genzken', Mönchengladbach, Germany
Galerie Meerrettich, 'Haare wachsen, wie sie wollen', cur. Josef Strau, Berlin, Germany

2001
Magnani, 'Isa Genzken', London, UK
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken', Cologne, Germany

2000
AC Project Room, 'Isa Genzken. Fuck the Bauhaus. New Buildings for New York', New York NY
Kunstverein Braunschweig, 'Isa Genzken. Sie sind mein Glück', Braunschweig, Germany
Frankfurter Kunstverein, 'Isa Genzken. Urlaub', Frankfurt, Germany

1999
Fries Museum, 'Isa Genzken. Liebe als Wesen', Leeuwarden, Netherlands

1998
INIT-Kunsthalle, 'Isa Genzken', Berlin, Germany
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken: Neue Arbeiten', Cologne, Germany
Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, 'Isa Genzken – Caroline van Damme', Deurle/Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium

1997
Robert Prime, 'Isa Genzken', London, UK

1996
EA-Generali Foundation, 'MetLife: Isa Genzken', Vienna, Austria
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken – Joseph Zehrer', Cologne, Germany

1994
Xavier Hufkens, 'Isa Genzken', Brussels, Belgium
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken', Cologne, Germany
Galerie Stadtpark, 'Isa Genzken. Skulpturen', Krems, Austria

1993
Kunsthalle Bremen, 'Isa Genzken. Skizzen für einen Spielfilm', Bremen, Germany
Lenbachhaus, 'Isa Genzken. Jeder braucht mindestens ein Fenster', Munich, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)
Palais des Beaux Arts, 'Isa Genzken. Jeder braucht mindestens ein Fenster', Brussels, Belgium (Travelling Exhibition)

1992
Galerie Daniel Buchholz, 'Isa Genzken. More Light Research', Cologne, Germany
Portikus, 'Isa Genzken. Jeder braucht mindestens ein Fenster', Frankfurt am Main, Germany (Travelling Exhibition)
Marian Goodman Gallery, 'Isa Genzken. More Light Should Be', New York NY
The Renaissance Society, University of Chicago, 'Isa Genzken. Jeder braucht mindestens ein Fenster', Chicago IL (Travelling Exhibition)

1991
Galerie Fred Jahn, 'Isa Genzken. Werke 1987-1991', Stuttgart, Germany
Galerie Jürgen Becker, 'Isa Genzken. Vom 23. Stock aus', Hamburg, Germany

1990
Galerie Jahn und Fusban, 'Isa Genzken. Arbeiten auf Papier', Munich, Germany
Galleria Pieroni, 'Isa Genzken', Rome, Italy
Galerie Meert-Rihoux, 'Isa Genzken', Brussels, Belgium
Galerie Varisella, 'Isa Genzken', Frankfurt, Germany
Berliner Pavillon, 'Isa Genzken', Berlin, Germany

1989
Jack Shainman Gallery, 'Isa Genzken', New York NY