Christopher Hartmann (b. 1993, Hassfurt, DE) is a German-Costa Rican artist who lives and works in London. He holds an MA in Communication Design from Central Saint Martins and completed his MFA in Fine Art at Goldsmiths University London in 2021. He is a recent grantee from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation (2020) and resident of The Fores Project London (2020).

His paintings present us with places in which specific time and space is suspended. They are concerned with relationships, how these are shaped by contradictory forces of alienation, intimacy and dependence, and the emotional tension this instils within each of us as we negotiate their terms. Typically presented in spaces of presumed dialogue or physical interaction, Hartmann’s subjects embody the desire for an authentic connection. The eeriness and hostility of Hartman’s work is symptomatic of the age we live in: an isolated, technology-driven and oversaturated world where realism has been pushed to a simulated extreme. Using layers of oil paint that mimic the masks of photo editing software, Hartmann’s subjects radiate artificial tones of scarlet and yellow to evoke the luminosity of the screen, calling forth the strangely unfamiliar hue of our digital selves.

He has held solo exhibitions at among others T&Y Projects, Tokyo, Japan (2022); Nassima-Landau Foundation, Tel Aviv, Israel (2021); GNYP Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2021); Hannah Barry Gallery, London, UK (2021).

His works have been part of selected group exhibitions at Neuer Aachener Kunstverein, Aachen, Germany (2022); TJ BOULTING, London, UK (2021); Goldsmith University, London, UK (2021); Newchild Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium (2021); Nassima-Landau Foundation, Tel Aviv, Israel (2020 - 2021); KÖNIG GALERIE, Berlin, Germany (2020); Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (2020); White Cube, London, UK (2020); Unit London, London, UK (2020); Hannah Barry Gallery, London, UK (2020).

CHRISTOPHER HARTMANN