C.O. Paeffgen

Basic Data

C.O. Paeffgen is one of the most famous German artists of the contemporary. The painter, who was born in Cologne in 1933, initially studied law before dedicating himself to art.

• Born: 21 October 1933
• Place of birth: Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia
• Died: 5 June 2019 
• Nationality: German
• Studied: Law in Berlin and Cologne
• Occupation: Painter and sculptor
• Similar artists: Julian Opie
• Era: Contemporary art
• Stylistic direction: Figurative art

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Biography

Claus Otto Paeffgen was born in Cologne on October 21, 1933, into the Päffgen family of brewers. Paeffgen initially devoted himself to law. He studied law in Cologne and Berlin, passed the first state examination and finally finished his studies in 1962 to turn entirely to painting. He made objects, such as the so-called "Umwicklungen" (wrappings), which are a variety of newly assembled found objects that he wrapped with wire. Then he created his "Umrandungen", which consisted of newspaper clippings or photographs, the lines and outlines of which he apparently traced with felt-tip pen and put on canvas.

His first exhibition took place in a gallery in Berlin in the mid-1960s. In the 1980s he was able to raise his profile considerably and exhibited his work at the Galerie Vorsetzen and the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, among others. In 1999, the Museum Ludwig in Cologne dedicated a major retrospective to him. Then it became quiet around the artist. Until his last major exhibition took place in 2013 at the Arp Museum Am Rolandeck, which recapitulated the work of the Cologne painter. Until his death in 2019, the artist lived and worked in his hometown of Cologne. 

Exhibitions

• 04.09.2020 - 02.10.2020 THE POETIC OBJECT - Schönewald Fine Arts, Düsseldorf.
• 18.01.2020 - 29.02.2020 Good-Bye-Grabbeplatz: Ulrich Erben, Jürgen Klauke, Robert Longo, Markus Oehlen, Tony Oursler, C.O. Paeffgen, Ben Willikens - Galerie Hans Mayer, Düsseldorf.
• 16.01.2018 - 07.03.2018 C.O. Paeffgen - Obst- und Gemüsekisten erzählen - Levy Gallerie, Hamburg.
• 17.12.2016 - 04.02.2017 Klappe eins, Affe tot... - Kunstsaele Berlin.
• 13.09.2015 - 10.01.2016 Ruhe vor dem Sturm. Postminimalistische Kunst aus dem Rheinland - Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen.
• 04.09.2014 - 04.10.2014 C.O. Paeffgen: Obst- und Gemüsekisten - Galerie Hans Mayer, Dusseldorf.
• 22.03.2013 – 01.09.2013 Sehr Schön. C.O. Paeffgen im Arp Museum - Arp Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck, Remagen.
• 28.09.2012 - 02.06.2013 Von Kopf bis Fuß. Porträts und Menschenbilder in der Sammlung Würth - Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch Hall.
• 24.04.2010 - 27.06.2010 C.O. Paeffgen - Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Wörlen.
• 23.02.2010 - 28.04.2010 C. O. Paeffgen - Levy Galerie, Hamburg.
• 05.09.2008 - 23.11.2008 Liebe.Love.Paare - Von Munch bis Warhol - Ulmer Museum, Ulm.
• 21.04.2007 - 22.07.2007 Die Kunst zu sammeln - Kunstpalast, Dusseldorf.
• 01.09.2006 - 21.10.2006 Buthe / Hansen / Paeffgen / Palermo / Polke - Maximilian Krips Galerie, Cologne.
• 29.05.1999 - 29.08.1999 C. O. Paeffgen Handarbeiten - Museum Ludwig Cologne.

Literature

• C.O. Paeffgen. Obst- und Gemüsekisten erzählen, exhibition catalog, Thomas Levy (Publ.), Bielefeld, Berlin 2018.
• C.O. Paeffgen: Liebes- und Fragezeichen, exhibition catalog, Grisebach GmbH (Publ.), Berlin, Munich2017.
• Sehr schön: C.O. Paeffgen im Arp-Museum, exhibition catalog, Oliver Kornhoff (Publ.), Cologne 2013.
• C.O. Paeffgen: aus der Sammlung Großhaus, ergänzt mit Arbeiten aus den Sammlungen Falckenberg und T.A.L, exhibition catalog, Thomas Levy (Publ.), Bielefeld 2009.
• C. O. Paeffgen in Trinitatis, exhibition catalog, Bazon Brock, Cologne 2005.
• C. O. Paeffgen: Handarbeiten, exhibition catalog, Museum Ludwig Köln (Publ.), Cologne 1999.
• C. O. Paeffgen, exhibition catalog, Jochen Poetter (Publ.), Baden-Baden 1987.

Collections

Germany

• Berlin - Burger Collection
• Berlin - Kunstsaele
• Bonn - Sammlung zeitgenössischer Kunst der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
• Frankfurt/Main - Sammlung Deutsche Bank
• Hamburg - Sammlung Reinking
• Munich - Staatliche Graphische Sammlung
• Wuppertal - Von der Heydt-Museum

Switzerland

• Aarau - Aargauer Kunsthaus

Weblinks

• C.O. Paeffgen Kunstaspekte Exhibition and collection overview.