Jochen Klein 1967-1997

The distinctive oeuvre of the late Jochen Klein (1967-1997) marked a new attitude toward figurative painting in Europe in the nineties. After studying painting in Munich, Klein joined the New York artists' collective Group Material, and together they initially devoted themselves to conceptual projects. After moving to London, however, Klein returned to painting, and until his death at thirty he worked on paintings that combine the experience he gained during his conceptual phase with virtuoso colorism. His most well-known paintings are idyllic landscape scenes. Photo wallpaper, ads in illustrated magazines, or erotic films, in which he recognized a collective consciousness that reflected individual desires, served as his sources of inspiration.