THE
INSTIGATOR
Art & Culture magazine
LEV KHESIN / painter
Berlin based Russian painter, Lev Khesin is an extraordinary artist. Layers after layers of paint, pigments and colourful silicon are applied to his paintings, creating a form usually characteristic of sculptures.
His work has no limits, no geometrical borderlines, no visible frames, but rhymes with Zen rituals.
His art book "Morphologie" was launched by Distanz Verlag last month. Lev Khesin © represent by ZOLTAN+ MEDIA London
BIOGRAPHY
Artist, painter Lev Khesin, born in Penza, Russia, is living and working in Berlin since 1999, making sculpture-like paintings that bring the complex interaction between colour and materiality into focus.
Defying the sway of linguistic systems, Khesin, who graduated from Frank Badur’s master class in Berlin, explores the cognitive potential of an art unfettered by concepts imposed on objects and phenomena.
In a time-consuming process and using diverse tools, he spreads out layers after layers of translucent silicone dyed in a variety of hues, moulding smooth surfaces and rutted structures. Experimentation and discovery are always part of Khesin’s artistic method. Every silicone layer covers the surface of the panel like a film.
The number of layers on a painting varies from a dozen to a hundred. Khesin mixes the transparent silicone with different pigments and every layer can therefore differ from the next in terms of color and degree of transparency.
By painting in silicone enhanced with pigments, Khesin appeals to the senses of vision and touch in equal measure.
Since 2005 he had numerous solo and group shows in museums and galleries in Germany, USA, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, France and Japan.
His art book “Morphologie" was published by Distanz Verlag, Germany, in 2019.
EXHIBITIONS
/ SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Artea Gallery / 5 October 2019
/ Milan
2018
in focus // out of focus / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Munich
Morphologie / Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
2017
Apeiron / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Munich
One-Artist Show / Art Karlsruhe, Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Karlsruhe
2016
Neon Black / Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
2015
One-Artist Show / Art Karlsruhe, LÄKEMÄKER
/ Karlsruhe
2014
Dark Matter / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
Permutation / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Ulm
Aquacone - Liquid Boundaries / Till Richter Museum
/ Buggenhagen
2013
Klärt sich das Wasser, werden Fische sichtbar - Teil I.
/ Kunstverein
/ Bamberg
Klärt sich das Wasser, werden Fische sichtbar - Teil II.
/ Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
Stoffwechsel / Galerie im Rathaus Tempelhof
/ Berlin
2012
Holy Hologram / LAKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
Oxymora / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Ulm
Elastic Pinioning / Java Haus
/ Hamburg
2011
Chromofobia / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Ulm
2010
Onomatopoeia / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
Lev Khesin / Vattenfall Lobby Hauptbahnhof
/ Berlin
2009
Atmospheres / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
Solo Exhibition / Kunst 09 Zürich, vondöring contemporary
/ Zurich
Zeitwörter / Institute of Art Function
/ Fukuoka
The Basic Problem / vondöring contemporary
/ Schwäbisch Hall
2008
Meta-Tags / Stella Art Foundation
/ Moscow
Kunststoff / Galerie Hans Tepe
/ Damme
2007
Malerei / Galerie Kollaborativ
/ Berlin
Silicone Valley / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018
vis à vis / Barlach Halle K
/ Hamburg
Roter Kunstsalon / Museum Villa Rot, Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Burgrieden
Künstler der Galerie / Kunstraum Darß
/ Born am Darß
Art Los Angeles Contemporary / Lazy Mike Gallery
/ Los Angeles
2017
Berlin Based / Till Richter Museum
/ Buggenhagen
Roter Kunstsalon / Museum Villa Rot, Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Burgrieden
LEIZE JENIUS in the Wiesenburg / Wiesenburg
/ Berlin
Hornig, Khesin, Marx, Nowinka, Ticha / Kunstraum Darß
/ Born am Darß
Nachts alleine im Atelier / Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
2016
ABSTRACT WORLDS / Till Richter Museum
/ Buggenhagen
Günther Hornig, Lev Khesin / Kunstraum Darß
/ Born am Darß
Roter Kunstsalon / Museum Villa Rot, Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Burgrieden
Nachts alleine im Atelier / Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
CONTEXT New York / LÄKEMÄKER
/ New York
2015
Nachts alleine im Atelier / Evelyn Drewes | Galerie
/ Hamburg
DIS# COVER - Janina Roider, Lev Khesin / Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Munich
2014
Art from Germany: Between Man and Nature / Till Richter Museum
/ Buggenhagen
Art Miami / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Miami
2013
Junge Positionen / Heyne Kunst Fabrik
/ Offenbach
Duett / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
2012
LAYERS - Gabriele Evertz, Lev Khesin and Julia Steiner / Sonja Roesch Gallery
/ Houston
MATCH - Piet Tyutel, Lev Khesin / Galerie Nouvelles Images
/ The Hague
Retraho / Betahaus
/ Berlin
Dripping Color Amazement / Galerie oqbo
/ Berlin
2011
Deux générations, Deux visions / Le Château de Saint-Auvent
/ Saint-Auvent
Preview Berlin / LÄKEMÄKER, Galerie SMUDAJESCHECK
/ Berlin
Winterausstellung / Irrgang
/ Leipzig
2010
Kunst 10 Zürich / vondöring contemporary
/ Zurich
ZEITges(ch)ehen / Rathaus Tempelhof-Schöneberg
/ Berlin
MATCHBOX- Lev Khesin, Xuan Wang, Robert Orchardson, Mikolaj Polinski
/ vondöring contemporary
/ Schwäbisch Hall
2009
Hello World / Ito Native Art Museum
/ Fukuoka
Iakov, Nadja and Lev Khesin / Mediacity
/ Leipzig
2008
Qui Vive? / 1ST International Biennale for Young Art
/ Moscow
SOMMER / LÄKEMÄKER
/ Berlin
Intuitive Kalligrafie / Solaris Gallery
/ Togliatti
Small / Marat Guelman Gallery
/ Moscow
News / Galerie Hans Tepe
/ Damme
Eb Dietzsch Kunstpreis für Malerei / Geraer Bank
/ Gera
2007
MULTIPLES - VIELFACHES / Cité des Arts
/ Chambéry
Mention / Privatraum
/ Berlin
2006
Ausser Haus / Uferhallen
/ Berlin
2005
Group Show / THE FRAME Gallery
/ Pittsburgh
PAINTTHINGS / Ellis Gallery
/ Pittsburgh
PRIZES & SCHOLARSHIPS
2017
Artist-in-Residence / Arthouse Tulum
Tulum / Mexico
2010
Tempelhof-Schöneberg Art Prize / Rathaus Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Berlin / Germany
2009
Artist-in-Residence Scholarship / Studio Kura
Fukuoka / Japan
2008
Project Grant / Stella Art Foundation
Moscow / Russia
2005
NICA Scholarship / Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh / USA
EDUCATION
2007 - 2008
University of the Arts / Meisterstudium
Berlin / Germany
2005
Carnegie Mellon University / Fine Arts
Pittsburgh / USA
2002 - 2007
University of the Arts / Fine Arts
Berlin / Germany
1997 - 1999
Savitsky Art School / Fine Arts
Penza / Russia
1981
Born in Penza, Russia
Since 1999 Lev Khesin lives and works in Berlin
Lev Khesin © represent by ZOLTAN+ London