Lot 399 | 1492

SCHEIBITZ, THOMAS
1968 Radeberg

Title: 1492.
Date: 2002.
Technique: Oil, lacquer paint and pigment markers on canvas.
Measurement: 170 x 210cm.
Notation: Signed and dated verso on the canvas overlap: Scheibitz 2002. Here additionally titled.


Thomas Scheibitz was born as the son of a stonemason near Dresden. After first learning the profession of a toolmaker, he studied painting at the College of Fine Art in Dresden from 1991 to 1996. He then completed his artistic training as a master student under Ralf Kerbach. A key highlight in Scheibitz's career is the joint design of the German pavilion with Tino Sehgal at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005.

Scheibitz, who always names his works individually, creates a rather gloomy work in colour with "1492". The dark colouring in combination with the title embeds the work in a context critical of Colonialism. Instead of reffering to the discovery of America as a successful milestone in the history of human growth, Scheibitz resorts to a negatively connoted visual language.

Scheibitz himself attests to a strong influence of Cubism, which is also clearly evident in this work. Here, however, Scheibitz not only works with abstracted cubic forms, but also explores the limits of perspective in painting anew. The work exemplifies Scheibitz's relationship to painting. For him, painting is a tool for redefining space, reality and perspective. This redefinition is experimental, almost playful, and actively involves the viewer in this process. The individual title opens up a new level of interpretation for the viewer and thus not only possiblities of painting are examined, but also current social questions are negotiated.