Franz Ackermann

Franz Ackermann, born in 1963 in the Bavarian Neumarkt-Sankt Veit, is a German multimedia artist. Ackermann is recognized for his monumental paintings, large-scale installations and numerous public commissions, in which he touches on the thematics of globalization, tourism and travel. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and completed his education at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg. The artist first came to serious art world prominence following his series “Mental Maps” (from 1996), in which the artist combined maps with the general athosphere of the place where he was at the moment. For the Venice Biennale in 2003, curated by Francesco Bonami, Ackermann contributed with “Faceland III”, a visual survey into the identity of the tourist and, in particular, the choices he or she makes while visiting Venice. His works has been widely exhibited all over the world, including venues such as the PS1 in New York, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Tate Liverpool or Royal College of Art in London, among many others. Currently the artist lives and works in Berlin. In 2020 he showcased his work at the Meyer Riegger Gallery with an exhibition titled “Die Scheune” (20-29.08.2020). The show displayed a colorful installation that was repeatedly transformed during the time of the exhibition. Ackermann redefined and deconstructed the already existing architecture of the site. The exhibition demonstrated Ackermann’s approach to reflect upon the pandemic and the atmosphere it created – a sense of adaptation and readjustment of all form of human action.