Andrea Büttner (born 1972) is a German artist. She works in a variety of media including woodcuts, reverse glass paintings, sculpture, video, and performance. She creates connections between art history and social or ethical issues, with a particular interest in notions of poverty,

shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...

vulnerability Vulnerability refers to "the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally." A window of vulnerability (WOV) is a time frame within which defensive measures are diminished, com ...

and

dignity Dignity is the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically. It is of significance in morality, ethics, law and politics as an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable ...

, and the belief systems that underpin them. Büttner has exhibited in both Europe and North America. Currently, she lives and works in both London and Frankfurt am Main. Büttner uses a broad range of media and techniques most notably video, performance, and installation art. However, her work is not limited to these mediums as she utilizes collage, sculpture, and more to discuss myths, gender, religion, shame, and society.

Life and work

Born in 1972 in Stuttgart, Andrea Büttner studied fine art at the

Berlin University of the Arts The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universit ...

. From 2003 to 2004, she studied at the

University of Tübingen The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (german: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; la, Universitas Eberhardina Carolina), is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-W� ...

and

Humboldt University Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiati ...

, where she received a master's degree in art history and philosophy. From 2005 to 2010, she joined the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It o ...

in London and received her doctorate. Her thesis "''Aesthetics of Shame: The relevance of shame for contemporary art and visual culture"'' focused on the subject of shame, including its queer aspects, as an aesthetic feeling. Religion is a recurring theme in her work, from her video ''Little Sisters: Lunapark Ostia'' (2012), which documents Büttner in conversation with religious sisters. The video features nuns in an amusement park outside of Rome partaking in rides and attractions while discussing their own work. ''Little Sisters: Lunapark Ostia'' (2012) is not Büttner's only work to feature nuns, her short film ''Little Works'' (2007) features nuns making small objects, such as candles. Büttner's other work ''Vogelpredigt'' (Sermon to the Birds, 2010) reflects Christian iconography.

Exhibitions

Selected solo shows

* 2007 - ''On the spot #1,'' Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe, Germany * 2008 - ''Nought to Sixty – Andrea Büttner'',

Institute of Contemporary Arts The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. Located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch, the ICA c ...

, London * 2009 - ''Andrea Büttner'', Croy Nielsen, Berlin, Germany * 2011 - ''The Poverty of Riches'',

Whitechapel Gallery The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery in Whitechapel on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The original building, designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, opened in 1901 as one of the fir ...

, London /

Collezione Maramotti The Collezione Maramotti is the private collection of contemporary art of Achille Maramotti, who founded Max Mara. It is housed in the former premises of the company in Reggio Emilia, in Emilia Romagna in central Italy, converted for the pur ...

, Reggio Emilia, Italy * 2012 - ''Andrea Büttner,'' International Project Space, Birmingham, UK * 2013 - ''Andrea Büttner,'' MK Gallery, Milton Keynes, UK * 2014 - ''Piano Destructions,''

Walter Phillips Gallery The Walter Phillips Gallery (WPG) is a contemporary art gallery in Banff, Alberta. It was established in 1976 as a part of The Banff Centre in Banff National Park. History and mission Walter J. Phillips was a printmaker and painter, from th ...

, The Banff Centre, Banff, Canada * 2014 - ''BP Spotlight: Andrea Büttner,''

Tate Britain Tate Britain, known from 1897 to 1932 as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery, is an art museum on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is part of the Tate network of galleries in ...

, London * 2014 - ''Andrea Büttner. 2,''

Museum Ludwig Museum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from Pop Art, Abstract and Surrealism, and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. It holds many works by Andy Warhol and Roy ...

, Cologne, Germany * 2015 - ''Andrea Büttner,''

Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center is a multidisciplinary contemporary art center in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the United States and, to ...

, Minneapolis, USA * 2016 - ''Beggars and iPhones,''

Kunsthalle Wien Kunsthalle Wien is the city of Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_of ...

, Vienna, Austria * 2017 - ''Andrea Büttner «Gesamtzusammenhang»'', St. Gallen, Switzerland

Awards

* 2005 - British Institution Award, London * 2009 - Maria Sibylla Merian Prize, Wiesbaden * 2009 - Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg Grant * 2009-2011 - MaxMara Art Prize, organized by

* 2012 - 1822-Kunstpreis, Frankfurt am Main * 2017 -

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award) ...

Nominee, London

References

External links