Dominik Halmer _ Domestic
„What does an image refer to? When do we perceive something as a unit? How do narration and meaning emerge? (...)“ (Dominik Halmer)
In his installative pictorial projects Dominik Halmer links the levels of reality between painting and physical space. In doing so, he deals with the very central and fundamental questions of pictorial language. In this way, the artist has continuously expanded his pictorial space: from the frame painting to the pic- torial object, from the pictorial object to a pictorial form that annexes and integrates the surrounding space. Halmer‘s combination of painting techniques is experimental and consists of gestural painting, spraying, hand prints, stencils and sometimes the integrating of everyday objects such as fringes.
In Halmer‘s most recent series of works, „Shields,“ variations of geometric form compositions are represented on the surface, which in turn define the contour of the painting and make each painting an individual form. Almost monumental are the wall- and space-related works such as the two-part work „Chloris“ (2020) presented at the Hamburger Kunsthalle (2020).The shaped canvas seems to detach itself from the wooden panel standing on the floor, suggesting an initial impulse of movement.
The image becomes independent in its presence and confronts us as a being.This alternation between objectifying detachment and personal, private-mythological charge is typical of Dominik Halmer‘s work. And so the titles of the works and references to art historyrepeatedly reveal the subtle humor in Halmer‘s body of work.
Dominik Halmer (born 1978 in Munich) studied philosophy and art history at the Humboldt University in Berlin, then fine arts at the Düsseldorf Art Academy with Albert Oehlen and at the Academy of Fine Arts inVienna with Heimo Zobernig.
The artist has received various scholarships and prizes such as the working scholarship Stiftung Kunstfonds, NEUSTART KULTUR (2022), the Fellowship of the Philipp-Otto-Runge Foundation (2020), a working scholarship from the state of Saxony-Anhalt (2016), the DAAD annual scholarship for Austria (2008-09),the project scholarship of the Studienstiftung des dt.Volkes for NewYork (2005) and others.
Dominik Halmer‘s works and installations have been presented in solo exhibitions at Undercurrent Art Space,NewYork City,USA (2022),Oldenburger Kunstverein (2019),MuseumWiesbaden (2018), Neue Aachener Kunstverein NAK (with Tim Berresheim) (2018), kunstwegen Pavilion, kur. by Thomas Niemeyer, Skulpturenpark Landgoed Anningahof, Zwolle, NL (2017), at ALJIRA Center for Contem- porary Art, Newark, New Jersey, USA (2017), at Schwartzsche Villa, Berlin (2017), et al. a. as well as regularly in group exhibitions such as „No Illusions - Painting in Space“, Hamburger Kunsthalle (2023), Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2022, 2018), Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn (2022), CCA Andratx, Mallorca, E (2021),MuseumVilla Rot,Burgrieden (2021),Museum Marta Herford (2019),Künstlerhaus Göttingen (2018), Nassauischer Kunstverein, Wiesbaden (201