Silke Otto-Knapp (b. 1970, Osnabrück, Germany) lives and works in Los Angeles, USA. At the centre of her works is the construct of the stage. Motifs range from choreographed groups of figures, historical stage sets, as well as pared-down landscapes. Otto-Knapp works with watercolour on canvas using a process of removal and accumulation of pigment in order to create spaces where the flatness of the pictorial space intersects with an illusionistic construction of space.
For Liverpool Biennial 2018, Silke Otto-Knapp has been commissioned to produce a new large-scale work for the fourth-floor gallery of Bluecoat. Like a classic frieze, the painting will wrap around the perimeters of the space, combining figures in group formations with abstract panels. The painting will be accompanied by an artist’s book produced in collaboration with Stuart Bertolotti-Bailey, which will be displayed in the historic women’s common room at the Victoria Gallery & Museum.
Recent exhibitions include Midway Contemporary, Minneapolis, USA (2017/18) Regen Projects, Los Angeles, USA (2017); Mary Boone Gallery, New York, USA (2017); greengrassi, London, UK (2016); Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, USA (2016); Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada (2015); Migros Museum, Zurich, Switzerland (2014); Camden Arts Centre, London, UK (2014); Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria (2014); Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark (2013); Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Canada (2012); and Tate Britain, London, UK (2011).
A series of images following one from the other (Eine aufeinander folgende Reihe von Bildern), 2018
Watercolour on canvas
Exhibited at Bluecoat
A series of images following one from the other (Eine aufeinander folgende Reihe von Bildern) (Back Cover), 2018
Watercolour on canvas
Exhibited at Victoria Gallery & Museum
A series of images following one from the other (Eine Reihe von aufeinander folgenden Bildern), 2018
Artist book, edition of 600
Published by Compagnia, London
Exhibited at Victoria Gallery & Museum
All commissioned by Liverpool Biennial
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, London
Galerie Buchholz, Cologne / Berlin / New York
Regen Projects, Los Angeles
Victoria Gallery & Museum
University of Liverpool
Ashton Street
Liverpool
L69 3DR
Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 12–4pm, Free
Bluecoat
School Lane
Liverpool
L1 3BX
Open daily 11am–6pm, Free
Liverpool Biennial
55 New Bird Street
Liverpool L1 0BW
Liverpool Biennial is funded by
Founding Supporter
James Moores