Biography

Stefan Rinck is a German visual artist, born in 1973 in Homburg/Saar. He lives and works in Berlin. Rinck studied Art History and Philosophy at the Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken and Sculpture at the Academy of Arts in Karlsruhe. Rinck exhibited internationally, including at [mac] Musée d’art contemporain (Marseille), Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (Paris), Museum de Hallen (Harlem), Sorry We’re Closed (Brussels), Nino Mier Gallery (New York & Los Angeles), Skarstedt (East Hampton), Semiose (Paris), Vilma Gold (London), Rüdiger Schöttle (Munich), The Breeder (Athens), Galeria Alegria (Madrid & Barcelona); among many others. He participated in the Busan Biennale in South Korea, Vent des Fôret and La Forêt d’Art Contemporain in France, where he realized monumental public sculptures. In 2018, “The Mongooses of Beauvais” was permanently installed in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris and in 2021 the sandstone sculpture “Why I bear/Großer Lastenbär” was inaugurated on Zionskirchplatz in Berlin. His works are in public collections worldwide, including CBK Rotterdam, Musée de la Loterie, FRAC Corsica and Sammlung Krohne among others. In 2019, Rinck was featured in the Thames & Hudson publication 100 Sculptors of Tomorrow. The documentary Heart of Stone by Sonja Baeger was premiered in Berlin in 2021 and shows the creation process of Rinck’s three monumental sculptures.

Portrait photo by Helge Tscharn.

STEFAN RINCK 

Born 1973 in Homburg/Saar, Germany. Lives and works in Berlin.

EDUCATION

1993 – 1995  Stone sculptor – Apprenticeship – Zweibrücken

1995 – 1996 Art History and Philosophy – Universität des Saarlandes – Saarbrücken

1996 – 2000 Sculpture – Academy of Arts Karlsruhe

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024

The Bliss of Ignorance – with Philip Grözinger – CCA Andratx – Mallorca (ES)

2023

Early Birds and Late Night Lizards – Nino Mier Gallery – New York City (NY, US)

Sleep of Reason – Semiose – Paris (FR)

Die Handtasche muss lebendig sein – with Philip Grözinger – 68 projects – Berlin (DE)

2022

The Trembling of the Veil – Semiose – Paris (FR)

Semigods of the Jockey Club – Skarstedt – East Hampton (NY, US)

Obelix & Obelix: At Home I Am A Tourist – with Humberto Poblete-Bustamante – Allouche Benias – Athens (GR)

2021

Abstracción bárbara en la casa de los excéntricos – Galeria Alegria – Barcelona (ES)

Endemic Creatures – CCA Andratx – Mallorca (ES)

In this Garden he reads the Diary of the World – Sorry We’re Closed – Brussels (BE)

2020

de-monstration – Bark Berlin Gallery – Berlin (DE)

Saint Georges et son Dragon de Compagnie – La Forêt d’Art Contemporain – Bélis (FR)

Beyond the White Line – Semiose – Paris (FR)

I feel Air from other Planets – Nino Mier Gallery – Los Angeles (CA, US)

2019

To Eat or to be Eaten – Semiose – Paris (FR)

Carnival – CAC Chapelle du Genéteil – Château-Gontier, (FR)

2017

Pilgrimage to Kashyyyk – CCA Andratx – Mallorca (ES)

Les statues meurent aussi – Maladrerie Saint-Lazare – Beauvais (FR)

Fresh Meat in the shark pool – Muro – Mallorca (SP)

Metaphysical Casino – Semiose – Paris (FR)

2016

Sick White God – Sorry We’re Closed – Brussels (BE)

2015

The Eternal Comedy of Creatures – Galeria Alegria – Madrid (ES)

2014

A Sunny Place for Shady People – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

2013

Dark Matter – Sorry we’re closed – Brussels (BE)

2012

Fama – Good and bad speech after death – with Gabriel Vormstein – Patricia Low Contemporary – St. Moritz (CH)

2011

Stefan Rinck befragt die Nachbarschaft: Will Gott noch was mit uns zu tun haben – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

Die Geister die ich rief – Kunstverein Zweibrücken (DE)

2010

Hasenprophezeiung – with Philipp Dogan – Galerie Petra Vankova – Berlin (DE)

Stefan Rinck & Ralf Dereich – Im Preservat –  Ringstube – Mainz (DE)

2009

Stefan Rincks Lehrplan des Lebens – life would suck without it – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

The Quest for Lost Innocence – Sorry we’re closed – Brussels (BE)

2007

Vicerunt Viderunt Venerunt – with Uwe Henneken – The Breeder Projects – Athens (GR)

Hoc oriente fug it –  Berlin (DE)

Salon de Geffa – Private Sammlung Reyle & Sellin – Berlin (DE)

2006

Solo Show – Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle – Munich (DE)

Atropäischer Hyberbolismus – gelaicht in Antwerpen, in irgendeiner Schwemme – Ballhaus Ost – Berlin (DE)

Portal of Glory – Vilma Gold – London (UK)

Solo Show – Klara Wallner PLUS – Berlin (DE)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTION)

2024

L’âge atomique – Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris – Paris (FR)

Des exploits, des chefs d’œuvre – [mac] Musée d’art contemporain – Marseille (FR)

ARCADIA! – Kewenig – Berlin (DE)

Stone Whispers – curated by Eliane Le Roux & Patrick Vanbellinghen – Michel Rein – Brussels (BE)

Totem – Newchild Gallery – Antwerp (BE)

Apple of Discord – Louise Alexander Gallery – Porto Cervo, Sardinia (IT)

Horsing Around – Galerie Lake – Oldenburg (DE)

Just Friends – curated by Benedikt Ledebur – Schörfling am Attersee (AU)

The Softness – CCA Andratx – Mallorca (ES)

Rue des Fleurus, Athènes – Allouche Benias – Athens (GR)

You Must Be Joking – BcmA – Berlin ( DE)

New Heavy Shit – nbb gallery – Berlin ( DE)

2023

Die Handtasche muss lebendig sein – with Philip Grözinger – 68 projects – Berlin (DE)

Transcending Boundaries – Colector Gallery – Paris (FR)

The Departed: a multigenerational investigation into the land beyond the living – THE GALLERY OF EVERYTHING – London (UK)

Skulpturengarten at Schloss Düneck – curated by Jan Kage – in cooperation with Evelyn Drewes Galerie – Hamburg (DE)

Unexpected – Wasserwerk – Bad Schmiedeberg (DE)

Dystopian Archaeologies. Exploring the vestiges of past-future – CCA at La Misericordia – Palma de Malloca (ES)

Ca’n BOOM! – L21 Gallery – Palma de Malloca (ES)

Storage Wars – The Hole – Los Angeles (US)

Biennale Crans-Montana – Crans Montana (CH)

Un Été au Havre – curated by Gaël Charbau – Le Havre (FR)

Chatting with demons – Berlínskej Model – Praha (CZ)

Foolish Fire – Newchild Gallery – Antwerp (BE)

The New Yesterday – HVW8 – Berlin (DE)

Course of Works – Hangar Y – Paris/Meudon (FR)

2022

Kunst in Puurs – K.I.P. Kunst in Puurs – Puurs (BE)

Manche trugen Federn – ERES Projects – München (DE)

You Know That You Are Human – Zionskirche – Berlin (DE)

Regresso. Das Kind in uns – Collegium Hungaricum Berlin – Berlin (DE)

Manche trugen Federn – GRZEGORZKI SHOWS – Berlin (DE)

Nothing Is Permanent – Parcours de sculptures – Curated by Alex Reding – Esch-sur-Alzette (LUX)

Lust for Life – de Melkerij – Veltem-Beisem (BE)

Spring Show – CCA Andratx – Mallorca (ES)

Skills for Peace – Zionskirche – Berlin (DE)

2021

Event of the Year – F2 Galeria – Madrid (SP)

Kunst in Puurs – CC Binder – Puurs (BE)

Here Come The Suns – Bark Berlin Gallery – Berlin (DE)

FIAC Hors les murs – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris (FR)

Biennale Internationale Saint-Paul de Vence – Saint-Paul de Vence (FR)

Strangers in the House – Semiose – Paris (FR)

Supernature – Centre d’Art Contemporain Yverdon-les Bains – Yverdon-les-Bains (CH)

Tiger in a Tropical Storm – Louise Alexander Gallery – Porto Cervo, Sardinia (IT)

Alarm 100hundert – Fleischmarkthalle – Karlsruhe (DE)

Two Hands Allouche Benias – Athens (GR)

Spring – Fondation Thalie – Brussels (BE)

Points of Resistance – Zionskirche – Berlin (DE)

2020

Biennale Gherdëina 7 – Curated by Adam Budak – Ortisei (IT)

Restons Unis – Galerie Perrotin – Paris (FR)

Multiple Visions – Sorry We’re Closed – Brussels (BE)

Five Year Anniversary Show – Nino Mier Gallery – Los Angeles (US)

pre sent tense – galerie frank elbaz – Dallas (US)

Beyond Elysium – Kleiner von Wiese – Berlin (DE)

2019

FIAC Hors les murs – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris (FR)

Abundo en Felices curiosidades – Espacio Valverde – Madrid (ES)

Betes des Scenes – Fondation Villa Datris – L`Isle sur la Sorgue (FR)

 Just so Stories – Nosbaum Reding – Luxembourg (LUX)

 Enigma Pinocchio – Villa Bardini – Florenz (IT)

 Bonum et Malum – Kleiner von Wiese – Berlin (DE)

A Snake without a Head is just a Rope – Sim Smith Gallery – London (UK)

Come a little closer – Feinkunst Krüger – Hamburg (DE)

2018

Les Sablent Mouvants – Espace a Vendre – Nizza (FR)

Für Immer Blau – Waldsteige – Duisburg (DE)

Un Futur Enchanteur – Le Consulat Paris – Paris (FR)

Ngorongoro 2 – Künstlerateliers Weißensee – Berlin (DE)

Die Nächte des Heliogabalus – Schlachthaus – Berlin (DE)

Touch Wood – Sorry We’re Closed – Artbrussels  – Brussels (BE)

The Gathering – Panthera. Today – Brussels (BE)

Atre Noah – Kunsthalle Feldbach – Feldbach (AT)

White Blood, Blue Night – La Traverse – Centre d’art contemporain d’Alfortville, Alfortville (FR)

Schwarzer Flamingo – Galerie Knut Hartwich – Sellin (DE)

Sneaky Paradise – Lachenmann Art – Konstanz (DE)

…..kein Thema – Kwadrat – Berlin (DE)

2017

FIAC Hors les murs – Jardin des Tuileries – Paris (FR)

Landscapes of Loss/Verschwindende Landschaften – Bundesumweltministerium – Berlin (DE)

La Table Ronde – Diskurs Berlin e.V. – Berlin (DE)

Es geht voran –  Galerie Sandra Bürgel –  Berlin (DE)

Runter von den Marmorklippen! –  Kwadrat –  Berlin (DE)

Berlin Klondyke –  Soeht 7 –  Berlin (DE)

Striche, Kreise, Landschaft, Preise – Schaufenster – Berlin (DE)

You are my Heroes –  Sorry We’re Closed –  Artbrussels –  Brussels (BE)

2016

Ganz grosses Kino –  Kino International –  Berlin (DE)

Green Doesn’t Sell –  Sorry We’re Closed –  Art Brussels – Brussels (BE)

Sweat Shop –  Schaufenster –  Berlin (DE)

Zurück in die Zukunft –  Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz –  Berlin (DE)

De Lirio –  Braubach Five – Frankfurt am Main (DE)

Mai im Januar –  Schaufenster –  Berlin (DE)

Dark Ages –  AEROPLASTICS contemporary –  Brussels

Comme si de rien n’était – Maison Van Buuren – Brussels

2015

The Good Estrella –  OTR Espacio de Arte – Madrid (ES)

Surrealism goes Bananas –  Sorry We’re Closed – Art Brussels – Brussels (BE)

NGORONGORO – Atelier Jonas Burgert – Berlin (DE)

Bitzel Britzel –  Kunst Im Taut Haus – Berlin (DE)

Mai im Januar –  Schaufenster – Berlin (DE)

2014

Im Dschungel –  Kunstverein Familie Montez – Frankfurt am Main (DE)

Emotional Rescue – Emotional Rescue Shows – Berlin (DE)

Mal wieder Freitag der 13 – Idling Gallery – Berlin (DE)

Aus dem Fundus der botanischen Semantik – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

Fashion Week – Kreuzberg Pavillon – Berlin (DE)

Wurzeln weit mehr Aufmerksamkeit widmen – Galerie der HBKsaar – Hochschule für Bildende Künste Saar-Saarbrücken (DE)

Group show – Galeria Alegria – Madrid (ES)

2013

Black Friday – curated by Melina Volkmann – Salon Yorckstraße – Berlin (DE)

Apokalyptik als Widerstand – Die Sammlung Tom Biber im Bayrischen Armeemuseum – Bayrisches Armeemuseum – Ingolstadt (DE)

Benefit auction – Neuer Aachener Kunstverein – Aachen (DE)

Black Friday – curated by Melina Volkmann -Yorckstraße 59 – Berlin (DE)

Cinque Garzoni II – Piccola Germania – Cinque Garzoni – Venice – Lido – Italy (IT)

The legend of the shelves – Autocenter – Berlin (DE)

Money Works – Whiteconcepts – Berlin (DE)

2012

Chains – Horse – Berlin (DE)

Zwischenzone – Galerie Stephanie Bender – Munich (DE)

Party Arty – Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien – Berlin (DE)

Artists of the Gallery – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

A house is not a home – Sorry we’re closed – Brussels (BE)

2011

Monotonie-Melancholie – Schaufenster – Berlin (DE)

Dooms day for Cussler Family – Cussler – Berlin (DE)

Summen spüren – Pflügerstr. 70 – Berlin (DE)

The Dicks + Bonus Material – Teapot – Cologne (DE)

Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle – U 37 – Raum für Kunst – Berlin (DE)

The Cannibal’s Muse II – curated by Max Henry – Autocenter – Berlin (DE)

Train Fantôme – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

Hotspot Berlin – Georg-Kolbe-Museum – Berlin (DE)

The Magic Sexy Templeloch of Wonderspirit – Wonderloch Kellerland – Berlin (DE)

Bild und Verbrechen – touring exhibition, curated by Friedemann Hahn and Wendelin Renn – Ringstube Mainz (DE), Künstlerverein Walkmühle, Wiesbaden (DE), Städtische Galerie Villingen-Schwenningen (DE)

The Black Goddess – curated by Rick Buckley – Autocenter – Berlin (DE)

La Vallée Patibulaire – Berlin (DE)

When love comes down… …word becomes flesh –  Cussler – Berlin (DE)

Das Universum expandiert – Kwadrat – Berlin (DE)

2010

Step in the Arena – Quartier Eurobahnhof – Saarbrücken (DE)

Barbaric Freedom – curated by Anne Pontegnie – Simon Lee Gallery – London (UK)

The Cannibal’s Muse – curated by Max Henry – Patricia Low Contemporary – Gstaad (CH)

100% le Vent des Fôrets – Fresnes-au-Mont (FR)

Art Barter – HBC – Berlin (DE)

Ein Fest für Boris – Vittorio Manalese – Berlin (DE)

Transzendenz Inc. – Autocenter – Berlin (DE)

Art Below – Studio 21 – Sulivan Enterprise – London (UK)

2009

Schickeria – High Society – BDA-Ausstellungsraum – Braunschweig (DE)

You will miss me when I burn – Montgomery – Berlin (DE)

Transzendenz Inc. – Forgotten Bar Project – Berlin (DE)

The Sequel (Part II) – Cinque Garzoni – Venice (IT)

Bank of Eden – Whitechapel Berlin – Berlin (DE)

Artgerecht – Villa am See – Tornow (DE)

Diesseits der Alpen: Hunger Jenseits der Alpen: Durst – Berlin (DE)

41 Tage – Die Kirchner Show – Kornhäuschen – Aschaffenburg (DE)

2008

First Selection – Cruise & Callas – Berlin (DE)

Avant-Garden – Busan Sculpture Project – Busan Biennale -Busan (KS)

Berlin Bouqet – The Living Room – Amsterdam (NL)

The Kirchner Show – Kornhaus – Aschaffenburg (DE)

Sorry we’re closed – Brussels (BE)

2007

Stranger than Paradise – Galerie Charlotte Moser – Geneva (CH)

Unsere Affekte fliegen aus dem Bereich der Wirklichkeit heraus – Galerie Sandra Bürgel – Berlin (DE)

Blaue Augen – Showroom – Berlin (DE)

The Present Order is the Disorder of the Future- Museum De Hallen – Haarlem (NL)

Die Nacht der süßen Bienen – Schickeria – Berlin (DE)

De Vreemdeling – Centrum Bildende Kunst – Rotterdam (NL)

NULL BOCK – Schickeria – Berlin (DE)

2006

Wir hätten das Land gern weit und rund und Sie – Showroom – Berlin (DE)

The Glass Bead Game – Vilma Gold Project Space – Berlin (DE)

2005

Grün ist das neue Schwarz – Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle – Munich (DE)

Kir Royal – Schickeria – Berlin (DE)

Group Show – Galerie Giti Nourbakhsch – Berlin (DE)

2004

Malerei – Staatsgalerie Stuttgart (DE)

2002

Die Superzelle – Badischer Kunstverein – Karlsruhe (DE)

2001

Heimsteinwerk – Heidelberg (DE)

Y2K – Kunstfabrik am Flutgraben – Berlin (DE)

Je ne regrette désire – Gesellschaft der Freunde junger Kunst – Baden-Baden (DE)

2000

Group Show – Hobbypopmuseum – Düsseldorf (DE)

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Fonds régional d’art contemporain Corse, Corte, FR

Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam, Rotterdam, NL

Musée de la Loterie, Brussels, BE

Sammlung Krohne, Duisburg, DE

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

2024

CCA Andratx, Andratx, Mallorca (ES)

2020

CCA Andratx, Andratx, Mallorca (ES)

2017

CCA Andratx, Andratx, Mallorca (ES)

PUBLICATIONS

Monographs

Pleased to meet you, n°9. Text by Jeanne Brun, Jeremy Strick, Daniel S. Palmer, published by Semiose éditions, Paris, 2021, ISBN 9782377390502.

Stones. Gods. Humans. Animals. Photographs by Ute Rinck, text by Monika Rinck, published by This Side Up, Barcelona/Galeria Alegria, Barcelona/Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels/Semiose, Paris, 2020, ISBN 9788412072044.

Stefan Rinck. Text by Bazon Brock, published by Lubok Verlag, Leipzig/Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels, 2016, ISBN 9783945111253.

Stefan Rinck. Text by Sonja Baeger, Sailors Pulp 7, published on occasion of the exhibition “Im Preservat” with Ralf Dereich, Ringstube Mainz, published by Friedemann Hahn, Mainz, 2010, ISBN 3926265671.

Collective Books

100 Sculptors of Tomorrow. Kurt Beers, CORK Richard, Thames & Hudson, London (UK), 2019, ISBN 9780500021477.

Apokalyptik als Widerstand. Die Sammlung Tom Biber im bayrischen Armeemuseum, Verlag Kettler, published by Ansgar Reiß, 2014, ISBN 9783862062959.

Press Reviews

Gribaumont, Gwennaëlle, “Les gardiens monstrueux, féroces et délicieux de Stefan Rinck”, La Libre Belgique, March 3d 2021.

LEYDIER, Richard, Review “In this Garden he reads the Diary of the World”, artpress, February 11th 2021.

“Le baromètre des tendances”, Vivre Paris, n°43, June 2020, p. 14.

“La galerie Semiose déménage rue Quincampoix”, Paris Capitale, n°240, June 21th 2020, p. 16.

DEBAILLEUX, Henri-Francois, “Perrotin et Compagnie”, Le Journal des Arts, n°547, June 5th 2020, p. 15.

Le Gall, Kristell, Les mini-monstres de l’artiste allemand Stefan Rinck à découvrir à Château-Gontier, Ouest-France, May 26th 2019.

“FIAC 2018 Avant-Premier, Vu poir vous”, Beaux Arts Magazine, n°413, November 2018, pp. 82 – 85.

“La Photo du jour – La 44e édition de la FIAC ouvre ses portes à Paris”, Les ‘Echos, October 19th 2017, p. 16.

BASTARD, Coline, “La Maladrerie de Beauvais accueille des sculptures géantes”, Culturebox, July 25th 2017, online.

[Anon.], “Stefan Rinck”, Télérama, n°3512, May 3rd 2017, p. 31.

[Anon.], “Metaphysical Casino”, Paris Art, April 12th 2017, online.

GILSOUL, Guy, “L’œuvre de la semaine: l’arbitre de Stefan Rinck”, Le Vif, L’Express, July 28th 2013, online.

V.D et B. de R., “Les contemporains font l’Europe à la cour Carrée”, Le Figaro, October 22nd 2009, online.

STRUNZ, Katja, “First Selection” (Cruise & Callas, Berlin), Artforum. The Best of 2008, December 2008.

FILMS AND FEATURES

Heart of Stone, direction: Sonja Baeger, production: Sonja Baeger, Germany, 2021, 31 min.

Atelier A, direction: Claudia Imbert, production: Arte France Studios, co-production: ADAGP, France, 2022, 8 min.

LECTURES

Heart of Stone, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, The Skills Akademy 2023: “Stone“, Paris, 10.06.2023.