GIDEON KIEFER

BIO | SELECTED WORKS | CV

Gideon Kiefer was described for years as a virtuoso draftsman, but in 2019, he transformed from a full-fledged draftsman into an emerging painter.

Kiefer’s work explores the unreliability of memory. His fascination with how memories are distorted, embellished, or even completely fabricated results in intimate and peculiar drawings and paintings that merge reality with imagination. Throughout his entire oeuvre, he draws inspiration from his hometown, the houses of his grandparents, his grandfather’s art books, places, and friends who have held special meaning for him.

On a secondary level, Kiefer’s work is often interpreted as socio-critical. Over the years, his work has increasingly taken on an apocalyptic tone, closely linked to the growing climate crisis. Draped sheets, inspired by the immense covers used to protect melting glaciers; the landscapes and forests of his hometown, enclosed in architectural settings; and stuffed giant birds that seem to herald impending doom—these are just a few of the many metaphors that represent this theme, giving his entire oeuvre an uncanny atmosphere.

Kiefer employs traditional (oil painting) techniques, only to then break academic conventions with the intent of “painting academicism to pieces.” His technical experimentation with painting is an ongoing evolution, which he delves deeper into by using stylistic contrasts within a single work or by mixing different media, such as spray paint, markers, stencils, and collage.

Handwritten texts, revealing hidden messages—often focused on current themes like climate change, but also including personal notes or GPS coordinates—add to the layering that is essential for the artist. Kiefer balances between the intimate and the global, and between reality and fiction, creating his own microcosm. His work invites reflection on the fragility of our memories and the urgency of the world around us, with each piece organically contributing to a narrative that is both personal and universal.

Recently, Kiefer has also added sculptures and objects to his repertoire.

His work is represented and exhibited both nationally and internationally.