November 30, 2016

Albert Oehlen: Woods near Oehle at The Cleveland Museum of Art, December 4, 2016 – March 12, 2017

“Albert Oehlen: Woods near Oehle examines German artist Albert Oehlen’s radical challenge
to the traditions of painting with works from the last 30 years. The exhibition’s title alludes to
Oehlen’s recurring use of the tree to test the boundaries of figuration and abstraction.
Throughout his career, Oehlen (born 1954) has created an extraordinarily unrestrained body of
work. By questioning the limits of painting and the rigors of his own artistic practice, Oehlen has
time and again offered new perspectives on what a painting can mean and look like. For these
reasons, he is considered to be one of the most important painters of our time.

To further illustrate the complex layering of methods, subject matter, and viewpoints that
constitute Oehlen’s work, the exhibition includes curatorial, musical, and written contributions
by four of his closest friends and fellow travelers: author and critic Diedrich Diederichsen,
curator Julia Sylvester, musician Michael Wertmüller, and artist Christopher Williams.” — Introductory Wall Text

cat-2_untitled-1988

Untitled, 1988. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on canvas; 200 x 200 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private collection, courtesy Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris. Photo: def image

oehlen_1988_oT_WV04.tif

Untitled (Strassen), 1988. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on canvas; 275 x 375 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private collection. Photo: Archive Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris

cat-6_untitled-1989

Untitled, 1989. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on canvas; 240 x 200 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private collection. Photo: Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris

cat-10_vorfahrt-fur-immer

Vorfahrt für immer, 1998. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on canvas; 196 x 196 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private collection, courtesy Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris. Photo: Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris

cat-15_baume

Bäume, 2004. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil and paper on wood, two sections; 265 x 385 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin | Paris

cat-16_frauimbaumii

Frau im Baum II, 2005. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Acrylic, oil, and paper on canvas; 290 x 230 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private collection. Photo: Lothar Schnepf

cat-20_baum2

Untitled (Baum 2), 2014. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 375 x 250 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Collection of Larry Gagosian. Photo: Lothar Schnepf

cat-22_baum18

Untitled (Baum 18), 2014. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 375 x 250 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Private Demsa Collection. Photo: Stefan Rohner

cat-24_baum54

Untitled (Baum 54), 2015. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 250 x 125 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Simon Vogel

cat-25_baum55

Untitled (Baum 55), 2015. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 250 x 125 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Simon Vogel

cat-26_baum56

Untitled (Baum 56), 2015. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 250 x 125 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Simon Vogel

cat-27_baum57

Untitled (Baum 57), 2015. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 250 x 250 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Stefan Rohner

cat-28_baum64

Untitled (Baum 64), 2016. Albert Oehlen (German, b. 1954). Oil on Dibond; 375 x 250 cm. © Albert Oehlen. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Stefan Rohner

Albert Oehlen: Woods near Oehle was curated by Reto Thüring, the curator of contemporary art at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Images courtesy The Cleveland Museum of Art.