Thomas Baumgärtel

(* 1960 Rheinberg/Ruhrgebiet)
Arbeit an der Serie Goldstücke
1960 geboren und aufgewachsen in Rheinberg im nordwestlichen Ruhrgebirt
1983 Kreuzigung einer Bananenschale während der Zivildienstzeitin einem katholischen Krankenhaus in Rheinberg
1985 – 1990 Studium der freien Kunst an den Kölner Werkschulen, Meisterschüler von Professor Franz Dank
1985 – 1995 Studium der Psychologie an der Universität zu Köln bei Professor Wilhelm Salber und Professor Friedrich Wolfram Heubach, Therapieausbildung an der Kölner Schule für Kunsttherapie
1986 erste Markierung eines Kunstortes mit der Spraybanane
Markierung von vielen der besten Kunstorte mit der Spraybanane
1988 Herausgabe des Buchs: Kunst Orte Köln, Fruchtbarer Leitfaden durch die Kölner Kunstlandschaft (zusammen mit Wolfgang Wangler)
1992 Neun Spraybananen zur documenta IX, Kassel
1993 Markierung der 40 interessantesten Kunstorte in London und der 60 interessantesten Kunstorte in New York City
1995 Malerei mit kleinen gesprühten Bananen, Serie von Leinwandarbeiten in Gelb-Schwarz (Bananenpointillismus)
1996 Gründung der Ateliergemeinschaft "CAP" Cologne"
1998 Zusammenschluss mit M.S. Bastian und Thitz zur Künstlergruppe "Könige"
1999 Gemeinschaftsarbeiten zur Deutschen Einheit mit Harald Klemm
2000 Beginn des "vielfarbigen Bananenpointillismus", Beginn der Zusammenarbeitmit Roland Specker für das Projekt für Berlin am Brandenburger Tor
2004 Arbeit an der Serie Goldstücke
2005 Arbeit an den Serien Meschenmassen, Holocaust, Supermarkt, Städtebilder, Industriekultur, Portraits und Urlaubsbilder in Acrylmalerei
2008 Markierung der 60 interessantesten Kunstorte im Ruhrgebiet, Vorbereitung der Installation "Phoenix aus der Asche" am Hochofenwerk Phoenix West, Dortmund
2009 Erstellung des 16 Meter langen Wandbilds "Chute du mur" in Frankreich zum 20. Jahrestag des Mauerfalls in Zusammenarbeit mit Harald Klemm
2010 Teilnahme am Wettbewerb für ein Freiheits- und Einheitsdenkmal der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Baugenehmigung für das Projekt "Phoenix aus der Asche" in Dortmund
2011 Fassadengestaltung in Köln zum CityLeaks Urban Art Festival
2012 Sprayaktion am Kölner Dom
2013 Sprayaktion für Amnesty International in Köln, Fassadengestaltung in Köln in neuer Spraygrammtechnik
2014 Fassadengestaltung für Galeria Kaufhof Köln Nippes
2015 Teilnahme an der 3. Urban Art Biennale in Völklingen, erste Spraybanane in den Niederlanden, Fassadengestaltung für die Stadt Neuwied, Umzug des Ateliers in den Leskanpark in Köln Dellbrück
2016 One.Artist-Show auf der art karlsruhe, Wandbilder in Hagen, Köln und Kirchheimbolanden, Spraybananen in Antwerpen
2017 Fassadengestaltung für die Stadt Neuwied
2018 Sprayaktion zu den Koalitionsverhandlungen in Berlin mit "Mehr Demokratie e. V." , weltweit erstes Graffiti in einem Operationssaal des Bonner Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus, Fassadengestaltung für die Stadt Schwetzingen
lives and works in Cologne

The Cologne-based artist studied fine art and psychology.

"Thomas Baumgärtel is much more than just a painter in the classical sense.
In addition to drawings and prints, his intermedia work also includes photo collages, overpaintings of photos and overpaintings of "Old Master" paintings and objects.
He has by no means focussed solely on traditional easel paintings, but has also worked intensively on murals in public spaces.
The wide range of his artistic work extends to action art and shows how fluid the boundaries between pictorial work and action are for him.
In addition to his subversive spray actions, his performances and happenings, particularly those involving a dinosaur-like banana, an oversized, fold-out banana sculpture on wheels, have caused a considerable stir.
To this day, the "Banana in the Brandenburg Gate" action in Berlin is still waiting for a starting signal."

Dr Bettina Baumgärtel, Museum Kunst Palast Düsseldorf


1983
Crucifixion of a banana during her civilian service in a Catholic hospital in Rheinberg
1986
First marking of an art site with the spray banana
1985-90
Studied fine art at Cologne University of Applied Sciences, master student of Prof Franz Dank
1985-95
Studied psychology at the University of Cologne under Prof Salber and Prof Heubach
Therapy training at the Cologne School for Art Therapy, basic training in dialogue psychotherapy, group therapy training to become an "Encountertrainer" at the Humaniversity, Egmond (Holland)
since 1986
Marking the world's most interesting art locations, including Aachen, Athens, Basel, Berlin, Bonn, Dresden, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt/M., Innsbruck, Hamburg, Hanover, Kassel, Korbach, Cologne, London, Linz, Mallorca, Munich, Mülheim, Moscow, New York, Paris, Vienna, Zurich
1988
Publication of the book KUNST ORTE KöLN, published by Galerie Symbol
1992
9 spray bananas for documenta 9, Kassel
1993
Marking of the 40 most interesting art locations in London
Marking of the 60 most interesting art locations in New York
since 1995
Painting with small sprayed bananas, series of canvas works in yellow/black, (banana pointillism)
1996
Foundation of the studio community "CAP Cologne" in Cologne-Nippes with meanwhile 50 international artists
1998
Merger with THITZ and M.S. Bastian to form the artist group "Kings of Hearts"
since 1999
Joint works on German unity with Harald Klemm
since 2000
Start of "Multicoloured Banana Pointillism"
Start of collaboration with Roland Specker for the "Project for Berlin" at the Brandenburg Gate
since 2004
Work on the "Goldstücke" series
since 2005
Work on the series "Crowds", "Holocaust", "Supermarket", "Cityscapes", "Industrial Culture", "Portraits" and "Holiday Pictures" in acrylic painting
since 2008
Marking of the 60 most interesting art locations in the Ruhr region, preparation of the installation for the Ruhr region "Phoenix from the Ashes" with a 30 metre long steel sculpture at the Phoenix-West blast furnace, Dortmund
2009
Creation of a 16 metre long mural "Chut du mur" for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in France in collaboration with Harald Klemm
2010
Participation in the competition for a monument to freedom and unity in the Federal Republic of Germany
Planning permission for the "Phoenix from the Ashes" project in Dortmund
Birth of son Lenn Jakob
2011
One-Artist-Show at the art fair Art Karlsruhe
Façade design in Cologne for the international urban art festival "Cityleaks"
2012
Spray campaign at Cologne Cathedral
2013
Spray campaign for Amnesty International in Cologne
Facade design in Cologne using new spraygram technique
2014
Façade design in Cologne for Galeria Kaufhof
2015
Invitation to the Urban Art Biennale Germany
First spray banana in the Netherlands
Facade design on behalf of the city of Neuwied
Relocation of the studio to the Leskanpark in Cologne-Dellbrück
Spraybanane on the front page of the FAZ on 2 October 2015
Start of the use of billboards as image carriers
2016
One-Artist-Show at the art fair Art Karlsruhe
Murals in Hagen, Cologne and Kirchheimbbolanden
Spray bananas in Antwerp
A painting with a provocative depiction of Turkish President Erdogan in the "Political Paintings" exhibition at the Kunstverein Langenfeld leads to a demonstration by Erdogan supporters and threats of violence against the Kunstverein staff and death threats against Baumgärtel
Spray bananas in Berlin
2017
Façade design for the city of Neuwied
Spray bananas in Berlin
Invitation to the 4th Urban Art Biennale Völklinger Hütte
2018
Spray campaign for the coalition negotiations in Berlin with Mehr Demokratie e.V.
First OP graffiti in the world
Façade design for the city of Schwetzingen
First participation in Art Cologne
Spray bananas in Münster, Geldern and Cologne
2019
New catalogue publication 'Thomas Baumgärtel 2008-2018' by Wienand Verlag Cologne
GERMAN URBAN POP ART in Hall 64, Leskanpark Cologne
SpraybananenSpraybananen in Ravenna, Bonn and Schwarzenberg
Pro-Europe peace street art projects in Munich, Cologne and Rastatt
2020
Street art projects e.g. 'Impfbanane' at medical facilities and 'Pippi goes bananas' at daycare centres

Thomas Baumgärtel
Kölner Park

Thomas Baumgärtel
Korkwald auf Sardinien

Thomas Baumgärtel
Beuysbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Life is...

Thomas Baumgärtel
Spraybanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Richterbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Beuysbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Mondrianbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Jeder Mensch ist Banane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Ueckerbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Christobanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Lilienbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Stonesbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Christobanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Friedensbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Ueckerbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Lichtensteinbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Beuysbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Tapebanane (Cattelan)"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Légerbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Originalbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Tom & Doggi"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Herzbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Zusammenhalten

Thomas Baumgärtel
Ueckerbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Ruderbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Ruderbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Ruderbanane

Thomas Baumgärtel
Metamorphose "Ruderbanane"

Thomas Baumgärtel
Rudern verleiht Flügel

Thomas Baumgärtel
"Bonnserie Nr. 1-12", 12-teilig