Magnus von Plessen

Magnus von Plessen is a contemporary German painter. He was born in 1967 in Hamburg, Germany, and currently lives and works in Berlin.

Magnus von Plessen's Art Style

Before transitioning to painting in the year 2000, Magnus von Plessen spent several years working as a photographer and filmmaker. His paintings are characterized by an innovative composition technique and a minimalist visual language, which have garnered increasing attention from the international art scene.

He creates paintings that fluidly shift between abstraction and representation. Employing a diverse range of painterly techniques and dynamic compositions, his works serve as studies on perception, structure, materiality, and transience.

His approach to space showcases a remarkable ability to condense and flatten the spatial depth he portrays. Using broad strokes of the palette knife, he creates an intriguing interplay of colors. The allure of his paintings lies in the transition from vibrant color dynamics to flatness, blurring the line between abstraction and figuration—accentuated by a brushwork that leans more towards drawing than traditional painting.

In his recent works, von Plessen employs the concept of rotation and revolution to reorganize structure and dimensionality within his paintings. By establishing a central axis point around which constituent motifs and elements revolve, the compositions convey a dynamic sense of movement and energy. Gestural marks intermingle with structured shapes against a palette infused with vibrant hues of acid yellows and hot pinks.

Exhibitions of Magnus von Plessen's Works

The artist has showcased his works widely. His solo exhibitions include "Hope Love Helium" at White Cube in London (2021), "Magnus Plessen" at Mai 36 Galerie in Zurich (2019), "Schablone und Fragment" at Daniel Marzona in Berlin (2018), "Magnus Plessen: Mess Dress Undress" at White Cube in Hong Kong (2018), "Magnus Plessen" at Gerhardsen Gerner Gallery in Oslo (2016), and many more.

Additionally, Plessen's paintings have been featured in numerous group shows held at various galleries and museums worldwide, including Galerie Isabella Czarnowska in Berlin, ZKM — Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie in Karlsruhe, Mai 36 Galerie in Zürich, White Space Beijing, Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, Kunstmuseum Bern, Galerie Volker Diehl in Berlin, among others. The artist also participated in the 50th Venice Biennale.