John Bock (born 1965 in Schenefeld, Germany) is a German artist. He studied in Hamburg, Germany and lives and works in Berlin.

John Bock
Bock in 2004
Born1965 (age 58–59)
NationalityGerman
OccupationArtist

Work

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Bock is a multi-media artist primarily known for his performances. Since 1991, he creates environments hand crafted from found materials which function as symbolic settings for his "lectures." More recently there has been an increased production of film and video work.[1]

In his "lectures", Bock acts on "stages" built from tables, cupboards or multi-level wood constructions. The objects are handmade or re-modeled accessories of the lecture, made out of clothing, electrical equipment such as hoovers and mixers, or "plastic diagrams" that illustrate his mathematical explanations. After the lecture, they are left on the stage which thus forms a "theatrical collage". The "lectures" are structured by different scenes in which Bock sometimes works with (non-professional) actors; frequently he plays pop songs or classical pieces from a record player. The lecture is mostly recorded on video. The film is then integrated in the installation, documenting the lecture throughout the exhibition.[2]

Bock has been professor for sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts of Karlsruhe since 2004.

Exhibitions

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Bock participated in numerous international exhibitions, among others the Venice Biennial (1999 and 2005) and the documenta 11 in Kassel (2002). He has also had solo exhibitions in a number of international institutions including MoMA and the New Museum in New York, Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, Kunsthalle in Basel, Secession, Wien, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

He has participated in various group shows including Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art, Barbican Centre, London, and "Laughing in a Foreign Language", The Hayward Gallery, London, both in 2008. John Bock: Maltreated Frigate, a monograph of his work, was published by Walther Koenig Ltd, 2007.

Bock is represented by Galerie Klosterfelde, Berlin, Anton Kern Gallery, New York, and Regen Projects, Los Angeles.[3]

Selected exhibitions

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Source:[4]

Germany

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City Venue Type Collection/Installation Year(s)
Berlin Staatsoper unter den Linden Individual John Bock’s Medusa im Tam Tam Club 2006
Deutsche Guggenheim Kunst und Papier auf dem Laufsteg [Art and paper on the catwalk] 1998
Element Am Tüddelband der Liebeselastizität 1997
Gagosian Gallery Collective The Addiction 2005
Haus der Kulturen der Welt Individual The greased bendsteering in the luggage gets tangled up with the white shirt (German: Die abgeschmierte Knicklenkung im Gepäck verheddert sich im weissen Hemd) 2009
Haus am Waldsee Collective Anstoss Berlin, Kunst Macht Welt 2006
Klosterfelde Edition Das Gängelband der Kunstwohlfahrt 1997
Klosterfelde Gallery Individual ArtemisiaSogJod – Meechwimper Lummerig 2000
John Bock: Lütte mit Rucola, Klosterfelde 2006
OHR-WALACHEI 2011
Kraftwerk Berlin Individual Paramoderne = Rokokkogobrot 1999
KW Institute for Contemporary Art Collective Berlin Biennal 1999
Schinkel Pavillon 2011
Sprüth Magers Individual 1 = 2 + Kleinodtod 2000
Temporäre Kunsthalle Individual FischGrätenMelkStand 2010
Collective Berlin Biennale (LiquiditätsAuraAromaPortfolio) 1998
Bonn Bonner Kunstverein Individual Im Dilemma der ExistoEntropie 2001
Kunstmuseum Bonn Collective Zeitwenden – Rückblick & Audblick 1999
Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Individual Im Modder der Summenmutation 2013
Bremen Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst Individual 2000
Cologne Austellungsraum Schnitt 1999
Frankfurt Die Dreckschleuder 1996
Freiburg im Breisgau Kunstverein Freiburg Koppel op Kop. ars viva 1999-2000 1999
Museum für Neue Kunst Collective Works from the Boros Collection 2004
Hamburg Das Trojanische Schiff Der Fremde in der 4. Etag 1995
Friedensallee 12 Das Kunstwerk des 21. Jahrhunderts 1995
Komparativer Kunstfähigkeitsvorteil 1993
Golden Pudel Club Mord und Robotermalerei 1992
Hamburger Bahnhof Museum für Gegenwartskunst Individual PestKOP im black rebel motorcycle club 2005
Helga Maria Klosterfelde Meechfieber im Paradoxonmodderkarton 1998
Klosterfelde Gallery Individual Ma’am prosciutto crudo 2001
Kunsthaus Hamburg Kunstkarton 1994
Kunstverein in Hamburg Individual Der Pappenheimer 2013
KX. Kunst auf Kampnagel Rasputin ist Mütterchen 1997
University of Fine Arts of Hamburg 4 x Rezipientenmodelle 1993
Das Feld 1995
Der kleine Rezipient und der grosse Rezipient 1993
Die dynamische Nacht des Titerus 1996
Die Kunstwohlfahrtsmaschine 1993
Die molekulare Heimsuchung des Herrn 0,47 1997
Elephant 1993
Gribbohm 1996
Haschkeks 1993
Heilung Nr. 4 1994
Jackson - Action 1992
Kunst – Mädchen – Erfolg – Tod
Paul Eluard Gesichtskorrektur
Wie werde ich breühmt?
Westwerk Törtchen der Leidenschaft 1994
Hanover Expo 2000 Collective Captain Sheriff Schippert Dröge 2000
Kunstverein Hanover home and away 1999
Sprengel Museum Individual Dionysische Monologicus – Gelüste eines Schwachomate 2000-2001
Heidelberg Heidelberger Kunstverein Collective Artists as Collectors 2007
Karlsruhe Laurids & Mattheus BommelbabyfaceNelson 1998
Leverkusen Morsbroich Museum Collective Freestyle: Werke aus der Sammlung Boros 2001
Munich Haus der Kunst Collective “Aller Anfang ist Merz – von Kurt Schwitters bis heute” 2001
Neuer Marstall Individual Rasputin ist Mütterchel 1999
Wolfsburg Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg Collective German Open : Gegenwartskunst in Deutschland 1999

Europe

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Country City Venue Type Collection/Installation Year(s)
Austria Bregenz Quasi-ich-isoquantenschar-Kammer 1999
Graz Grazer Stadtraum Collective RE_public 2000
Steirischer Herbst Von der Kunst bis zum Warten + drinnen Jungtiere 1999
Innsbruck Kunstraum Innsbruck Collective Soufflé, eine Massenausstellung 2007
Linz OK Center for Contemporary Art Austria Individual Ma’am prosciutto crud 2000
Mönchengladbach Abteiberg Museum Regardez le Diskjockey Long John Silver “El Niño” 1998
Offenbach am Main Klingspor Museum Silageproppen verstopft den Streptopenfluss im Love-Time-Mluiplikator 1998
Schwaz Galerie der Stadt Schwaz $ 1.000.000 Knödel Kisses, pfüti 1999
Vienna MienGribbohmWien 1998
Charim Galerie Collective SoonSonicShySONSupernovaSide UP 1999
Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien Collective Zeitwenden - Rückblick und Ausblick 2000
Belgium Antwerp Der heilige Anwalt in Antwerpen Lokaal 05 1996
Stella Lohaus Gallery Individual A-Buba 2005
Yes Sir No Sir 1999
Ghent Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst Collective Memme muss schlafen opening exhibition of S.M.A.K. 1999
Maastricht Der Onkel im Koffer 1996
Denmark Aarhus ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum 1999
Copenhagen Jacob Fabricius Collective "New Settlements" 2000-2001
England London Barbican Centre Individual Curve-Vehicle incl. π-Man-(.), The Curve 2010
Collective Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art 2008
Hayward Gallery Collective Laughing in a Foreign Language 2008
Institute of Contemporary Arts Individual Klutterkammer 2004
Program Collective Rough Diamond 2005
RCA Galleries Individual MEECHbuildings – “playing among the ruins”
Sadie Coles HQ Individual John Bock 2007
Individual John Bock 2001
France Lyon Collective 8th Biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon 2005
Marseille FRAC Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Individual John Bock 2005
Paris Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain Collective Dionysiac 2005
Greece Athens Eleni Koroneou Gallery Individual No Time No Screws 2009
Collective The Harder You Look 2007
2001
Individual Regardez le Diskjockey Long John Silver 1999
Technopolis Nai Aristoteles Ochi – Nichtsabsolut 1999
Mikrokosmos Cinema Individual Film Retrospective 2008
Iceland Reykjavík Kling og Bang Individual Skipholt 2005
Reykjavik Art Museum Collective Reykjavík Arts Festival
Ireland Cork Lewis Glucksman Gallery Collective Beyond the Country 2007
Italy Milan Gió Marconi Gallery Individual Inside Beyond 2008
John Bock 2003
opt. APE trouvé Moving 50 Diagram 1999
Nicola Trussardi Foundation Individual John Bock 2004
Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea Collective LA FORMA DEL MONDO/LA FINE DEL MONDO 2000
Siena Palazzo Piccolomini Individual MultiplexQuasiSiena – “le repubbliche dell’ arte germania” 2001
Centro d’Arte Contemporanea 2001
Venice Collective International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2013
Venice Biennale 2005
48th Venice Biennale 1999
Luxembourg Casino Luxembourg Existo – Tour 99 “ars viva – Gernzgänge” 1999
Netherlands Amsterdam Netherlands Media Art Institute Collective (……) – Surrogat 2006
Scotland Edinburgh Fruitmarket Gallery Collective Dada's Boys 2006
Spain Málaga Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga Individual Nöle 2010
San Sebastián European Biennial of Contemporary Art Collective Manifesta 5 2004
Sweden Malmö Malmö Konsthall Collective The Hamsterwheel 2008
Switzerland Basel Klosterfelde MolkeMeMindVehikle 1999
Kunsthalle Basel Individual Lombardi Bängli

Americas

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Country City Venue Type Collection/Installation Year(s)
Mexico Mexico City Jumex Foundation Lost-Egg in the Desert 2011
United States Los Angeles Collective The High Desert Test Sites (Palms) 2007
REDCAT Individual Palms 2008
Regen Projects Individual John Bock 2007
Lichterloh / roh 2011
Miami The Moore Loft Zero Hero 2006
New York City Anton Kern Gallery Bendix Harms Lebenslieben 2008
Individual John Bock 2010
John Bock – Mit Schisslaveng 2006
Maybe-Me-Be-Microworld 1999
Barneys, Madison Avenue Collective Into the Quasi-Me-Hill 2012
Gagosian Gallery Collective Fit to Print: printed media in recent collage 2007
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation Collective Hugo Boss Prize 2006
Museum of Modern Art Individual Multiple Quasi-Maybe-Me-Be-Updown (fashion show) 2000
PS1 MolkeMeHindVehikel “Children of Berlin” 1999
Nyehaus Abnormal 2005
Zwirner & Wirth Collective Girls on Film 2005
Water Mill The Watermill Center Lecker Puste (Delicious Breath) 2012

Asia + Oceania

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Country City Venue Type Collection/Installation Year(s)
New Zealand Auckland Pizza Kiwi Nazionale 2000
South Korea Seoul Insa Art Space 2008

Lectures

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  • 2000: Four Lectures, Museum of Modern Art, New York
    • “Aller Anfang ist Merz – von Kurt Schwitters bis heute”, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany, 6 June
    • Gribbohm meets Mini-Max society, (lecture 4, MoMA N.Y.C.)
    • thread waxing space, “death race”, Brooklyn, Dec.
  • 2009: Lecture / Fashion Show The greased bendsteering in the luggage gets tangled up with the white shirt (in German: Die abgeschmierte Knicklenkung im Gepäck verheddert sich im weissen Hemd) at HKW, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany

See also

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  • Robecchi, Michele, "John Bock: A Man in Space", Flash Art, January–February, 2005, p. 92-95.
  • Galloway, David, "Spray the Ketchup, Fling the Lettuce", ARTnews, May, 2006
  • Coulson, Amanda, "John Bock", Frieze, Issue 111, November–December, 2007
  • O'Reilly, Sally, "John Bock: Hide and Seek", Art Review, 2007, p. 52-59.
  • Millard, Coline, "John Bock", Modern Painters, July 15, 2010
  • Smith, Roberta, "Art in Review: John Bock", The New York Times, April 2, 2010
  • Tsitsovitis, Yannis, "John Bock's Unorthodox Machines", Under/Current Magazine Vol. 6, 2011, p. 144-149.

References

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  1. ^ John Bock. Films, June 7 - September 23, 2007 Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt.
  2. ^ John Bock Archived 2011-08-13 at the Wayback Machine Klosterfelde Galerie, Berlin.
  3. ^ "Regen Projects - Artist list".
  4. ^ "Blog". Archived from the original on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2009-04-08..

Further reading

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  • Grosenick, Uta; Riemschneider, Burkhard, eds. (2005). Art Now (25th anniversary ed.). Köln: Taschen. pp. 32–35. ISBN 9783822840931. OCLC 191239335.
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