Albrecht Behmel’s artistic career defies traditionals patterns. He studied philosophy and history of the arts in Heidelberg and Berlin while experimenting with street art, graffiti and writing. He worked in tech and in galleries, while publishing his first book during his freshman year in college and sold his first painting for a high 5-figure sum after years of developing his signature style, the magic of the swarms. “I don’t believe in the myth of the starving artist, so I made this very large piece and got lucky”, Albrecht says over his favorite drink, sparkling mineral water, or “Sprudel” as they say in the German Black Forest. So it took some patience.
“I just wanted to be sure the stuff is good enough before I go public and I could not have done it without the support of a great team.”
Developing a unique style requires a lot of research, comparison with other artists and just plain work. Albrecht creates overlapping silhouettes of humans and animals, plants and symbols whose combination forms larger shapes. “My background as a writer gives me a special perspective on how to tell a story. I can be much faster on canvas. With a book I have to ask a reader to spend serious time with my ideas. This is too much for many. On canvas however, I get to present my story within seconds. If you like it you can spend more time. If you don’t you lost but a moment.”
Mystic, 2017, Acrylic, 100×100 cm
Albrecht prefers shows in major international cities like LA, London, Paris, New York but also inside Germany and Switzerland, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Basel.
Finding inspiration has never been a problem for the 47 year old. He has written novels, plays, computer games and even for TV and film. His paintings cover a wide variety of themes, movies, landscapes, abstractions and portraits. “It is the portraits I am most passionate about these days”, Albrecht says, “I love the human form and spirit and my style allows me to show the inner and the outer reality of a person. I get to tell their story and to show their pose and their energy.”
Thanos, 2017, Acrylic, 100×150 cm
His studio is surprisingly clean for someone who creates large canvases, there are no splashes of colour, no overflowing shelves or buckets full of old brushes. “I am a minimalist,” Albrecht smiles as he opens the door to his atelier, a charming room with lots of sunlight and stacks of canvas frames all along the wooden walls.
Light is essential for a painter, so is peace and, of course, silence. “The windows are open all year long, listen: no cars! I love living in the country with my family because we travel a lot, so I really enjoy coming home every time.”
Letterhead, 2017, Acrylic, 150×200 cm
For Albrecht photography as an art form is somewhere between writing and painting and therefore clearly worth exploring. “These days, I never leave the house without my Canon, the new iPhone has a great camera too, obviously, but nobody can call or text me on my Canon – less distraction!”
We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next, even though it might take some time before he shares the results.
Albrecht Behmel’s Singulart Profile:https://www.singulart.com/en/artist/albrecht-behmel-1289