Peter Herrmann – Greetings from Berlin and Art in the GDR

“Painter’s Greetings from Berlin” – that’s what the East German artist Peter Herrmann his last exhibition, which featured works created after the millennium. “Silver Peter” – as he jokingly calls himself because of his lighter hair – is certainly no longer a young artist, and yet he has hardly lost any of his energy and productivity.

To the neutral observer, his paintings might appear to be the work of a very young man, or even a child. Indeed, his later works are characterized by a quick and flat brushstroke – it's hard to believe he could look back on a lifetime as a painter.

On closer inspection, however, it's not inexperience that lies behind this, but rather a newfound freedom and carefree attitude that becomes apparent. This development is all the more impressive when one considers that Herrmann can look back on a veritable cornucopia of experiences of all kinds and was particularly shaped by the post-war years. And it is often scenes from his life, his everyday life, his surroundings that he puts down on paper and onto the canvas.

A brief look back at Herrmann's life

Peter Herrmann was born in Großschönau near Zittau and grew up in Dresden. In 1953, Herrmann became a member of the artists' group Erste Phalanx Nedserd. He worked in Dresden until 1970, among other things as a photogravure artist.

He was likely greatly influenced by his fellow artist Jürgen Böttcher (painter Strawalde) , who portrayed him in his banned short documentary film “Three of Many” From 1971 onwards, he belonged to the artists' group “Lücke”.

He left his family and East Germany in 1982. He traveled from East Germany to the West with a fellow artist. This decision probably wasn't easy for him, as he had a close relationship with his family.

This is also evident, for example, in his pictures showing his parents at home on Sunday afternoons, or his father marching in uniform as a returning soldier.

He also dedicated this painting to his father. Nevertheless, his move seems consistent, as he found the political system of the then German Democratic Republic unbearable. Herrmann initially went to Hamburg and shortly thereafter, in 1986, to Berlin. He still lives and works there today.

Against the backdrop of this biography, one can also better understand the quote by Wilhelm von Humboldt that adorns the homepage of his gallery:

“The diversity arising from the union of many is precisely the highest good that society gives, and this diversity is certainly always lost to the degree of state intervention. (…) Uniform causes have uniform effects. Therefore, the more the state intervenes, the more similar not only is everything that causes, but also everything that is caused.”

Here, he likely uses the words of the Prussian scholar and writer to express his own critique of the influence of a totalitarian and autocratic regime on the individual's freedom of action within a society. It is hardly surprising that, as a creative individual, he rejects centralized control and conformity, as he presumably experienced it in the former GDR.

Looking at recent developments in the political landscape within Europe, or even the USA, Russia or the Middle East, this criticism is more relevant than ever.

Herrmann's Oeuvre – 40 Years in the Service of Art

From 1987 to 2013, Peter Herrmann organized more than 300 exhibitions. In 25 years of running a gallery, he allowed himself only ONCE! Ten days of vacation, which he then combined with visits to artists' studios. This testifies to an incredibly active, passionate, and tireless spirit. Since 2013, art has had to take a bit of a back seat.

Hermann's works are particularly vibrant thanks to his memories and his bold use of color. Some of his paintings feature bold, vibrant hues. However, he is also capable of working with colors that convey subtle tones. In these cases, pastel shades are predominantly found on the canvas.

In addition to his narrative paintings, he has also created a wealth of abstract works also provides insight into Hermann's life and work. "Flat Art on Canvas,"

Given his biography, it's no surprise that the capital city is a recurring theme in his paintings. The Wall, the Berlin Airlift planes, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and the Eiermann Tower are all incorporated into his motifs. A painting depicting the Berlin air, featuring a smoking grill and sausages lying on it, has a rather ironic feel.

Peter Herrmann's works are currently on permanent display in the Berlinische Galerie, the Galerie Neue Meister of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, the Museum Ludwig in Cologne and the Museum Junge Kunst in Frankfurt (Oder).

He formed a studio partnership with the sculptor Hans Scheib, which resulted in three notable exhibitions. The exhibition “Bleu de Prusse” was even shown at the Goethe-Institut in Paris in 1989. Another highlight of his artistic career is the “Golden Pot,” which was exhibited in 1995 in the octagon of the former Dresden Art Association presented Bonn headquarters of the German Research Foundation “Peter Herrmann – Hans Scheib,” a retrospective exhibition.

Peter Herrmann was honored with the Villa Romana Florence Prize in 1998, and in 2001 he finally received the Fred Thieler Prize for Painting.

If you carefully read the current posts and articles on the artist's homepage, you will notice that he still has this fire within him and follows the developments and technologies of our modern world with great curiosity and critically questions them.

His latest article provides insight into the different ways internet use is practiced on the African continent and also addresses the impact this has on the art world…