It would be too easy to follow one’s first impression and dismiss Jan Davidoff’s paintings as “figurative art”. In fact, his works are to be positioned on a level between concreteness and abstraction, on which real life scenes are confronted with a deeper meaning.

Therefore photographs of travel experiences are being adapted on the computer back at the studio and then reduced to silhouettes, exaggerated and layered in various pictorial planes to set them into re-evaluating and significant contexts. For example, the crowd paintings are inspired by Davidoff’s experiences in the tourist strongholds all over the world. But at the same time the indifferent background detaches the masses from their object relations and implements a second level of meaning. It is not about a real scene in front of a mighty cathedral or at a strongly frequented fair, it is more about the crowd itself and the role of the individual in its middle.

The often used golden background intensifies this detachedness from content by evoking an association with the early Medieval religious icons, in which saints – enraptured from the material world – are painted in front of a golden background. Hence the viewer is confronted with the question about the relation between the individual and the almost overpowering mass. In Davidoff’s paintings the one or other person stands out, because of extraordinary clothing or a specially exposed position. But on the whole the individual person gets lost and only the dominating human crowd remains to be seen, analogical to a beehive. That conjures up a feeling of being lost, but at the same time the will to self-assertion.

This way Jan Davidoff manages to communicate one of the most fundamental desires of today’s society, the perception as a unique individual, in his at first so easily as solely “figurative” classified paintings. Soon it is evident, that Davidoff’s works aren’t mere travel impressions, but an evaluation of the constellations of today’s society.

 

CV

2009   Studium Akademie der Bildenden Künste München
            Prof. Anke Doberauer
            Diplom bei Prof. Günther Förg, Grafik und Malerei

1976   born in Norden
            lives and workslebt in München and Utting am Ammersee

 

 

EXHIBITIONS

2016   Galerie Andreas Binder München – claire obscure – Groupshow 

2015   Gallery Hal Bromm New York – 40years – Groupshow

            Galerie Andreas Binder München- #fromwhereistand – Soloshow

            Galerie Max Weber Six Friedrich München Curated by Brigitte Henninger art – Groupshow

            KIK SEVEN – Time lies – Groupshow – Berlin

            MANA CONTEMPORARY ESKFF New Jersey – Groupshow

            Galerie Thomas München – POtPourri – Groupshow

            Galerie Lachenmann art Konstanz – from the rooftop – Soloshow

2014   Galerie Maurer – Inside – Frankfurt / Main

            Kunstclub Hamburg

            Galerie Thomas Modern – Gastspiel – München

            Kunsthaus Aaartfondation – summertime sadness – Kitzbühel

            ZK Gallery San Francisco

2013   Aaart Foundation – Munichmodern – Wunderland – Kitzbühel

            Van Treeck – Bayerische Hofglasmalerei – Power of Glas – München

            Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation – 2×2 – New York

            munichmodern – portrait today – München

            Landschaftsmuseum Seligenstadt- Soloshow

            Galerie Andreas Binder – „Bridging a gap“ Soloshow – München

            Art Karlsruhe – one artist show – Karlsruhe

            Kunstclub Hamburg – Gruppenausstellung – Hamburg

            Kunsthalle Whitebox – Gruppenausstellung – München

            TS Art Projects – Naturalisation – Berlin

2012   Galerie Maurer – Naturalisation – Frankfurt

            Museum Villa Stuck – 20STUCK – München

            munichmodern – Principles of Composition- München

            Galerie Hal Bromm – Abstract Realities – New York

            TS art projects – Hide ´n Seek – Berlin

            Kunstverein Stellwerk Diessen – black’n’white – Diessen

            BMW Kunstadventskalender – Zusammenarbeit mit Marc’o’Polo – München

            Studios of Key West – Abstract Realities – USA

            Stadtgalerie Altötting – Delikatessen

2011   munichmodern – Les fleurs du mal – München

            Kunstclub Hamburg – Ruf der Menge – Hamburg

            Galerie Maurer – Neue Bilder – Frankfurt

            Galerie Terminus – Davidoff meets Polke – München

2010   Galerie Maurer – Gruppenausstellung – Frankfurt

            Essenheimer Kunstverein – Versteigerung

            Galerie Getreidegasse – Flüchtig – Salzburg Österreich

2009   Essenheimer Kunstverein – Versteigerung

            Galerie Terminus – Gruppenausstellung – München

            Galerie Biedermann – Künstler der Galerie – München

            Frankfurter Kunstkabinett – Architekturen – Frankfurt

            Aando fine art – Überfüllung – Berlin

            Galerie Maurer – Gruppenausstellung – Frankfurt

            Galerie Schöneck – neue Werke – Basel / Riehen

            Galerie Terminus – crossing – München

2008   Galerie artMbassy – Künstler der Galerie – Berlin

            5 Jahre Raum 500 – kleine Arbeiten – München

            Arcademi.com – Mal Daheim – München

            Galerie Biedermann – Künstler der Galerie – München

            Galerie Maurer – black ‘n‘ gold – Frankfurt

            Galerie Terminus – 9 Positionen der ADBK – München

            mbf – Kunstprojekte – black ‘n‘ gold – Freiburg

            Galerie Maurer – Art Karlsruhe – “One Artist Show“

2007   Galerie Biedermann – München

            Galerie Maurer – way in way out – Frankfurt

            M.O.M.A. Eidelstedt – Hamburg

            Allianz/Mondial – München

            Schütz und Staby – München

2006   Galerie artMbassy – Rom

            Galerie Traversée – München

            Galerie Biedermann – München

            Sammlung Stankiewicz – Burg Raabs Österreich

            Galerie 18 m – Terminal 2 – Berlin

            Galerie artMbassy – Terminal 1 – Berlin

2005   Msf Kunstverein Freising – Line up

            Museum der unerhörten Dinge – Galerie 18 m – Berlin

            Galerie Traversée – Ortung – München

            Auswärtiges Amt – Virtuelle Galerie – Berlin

            Rodenstock – München

            Sommerkunstfest Feierwerk – München

            Kranhalle – look @ – München

2004   Hotel Maritim – Auktion – Köln

            Bundesgartenschau – evergreen – München

2003   Galerie Thomas – Art Cologne – Köln

            Säulenhalle Landsberg am Lech

            ADAC Skulpturen zum 50. Jubiläum

            Förderpreis der Bayrischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien

            Förderpreis ADAC

1998   Eröffnung der Kulisse Waschbar – München

            Mitarbeit an verschiedenen Szenenbildern für TV , Theater, Kino

 

PROJECT GRANTS

Förderpreis der Bayrischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien

ESKFF Residency New York

Förderpreis ADAC (Sammlung Spuren)

Katalogförderung Kulturstiftung EON Energie

Katalogförderung der LfA Förderbank Bayern

Projektförderung Alfred Toepfer Stiftung F.V.S.

Projektförderung Akademieverein

Buchförderung LfA Förderbank Bayern

Kunstpreis Seligenstadt

 

ART FAIR PARTICIPATIONS

Art Cologne / DE

SCOPE – New York / USA

Pulse New York / USA

Preview Berlin / DE

Kunst Zürich / CH

Pulse Miami / USA

Art Amsterdam / NL

Art Miami / USA

Art Karlsruhe / DE

Kunstmesse München / DE

Art Fair Köln / DE

palmbeach 3 / FL – USA

Contemporary art Ruhr / DE

Art Salzburg / A

AIFAF Palm Beach /USA

KIAF Seoul / KR

Vienna Fair / A

Expo Chicago / USA

Art Bodensee / DE

Art Paris / F

Art Southhampton / USA

Art Moscow / R