Artist: Ruprecht von Kaufmann

Bluerider ART Shanghai · The Bund presesents the exhibition “Ruprecht von Kaufmann: Der Weisse Wal” (Moby Dick) - 2024 solo exhibition. Following the success of his dual exhibition“Foreshadowing” in 2023, Ruprecht von Kaufmann returns to Bluerider ART with a new body of work inspired by Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. Through his signature surreal narrative style, Kaufmann reimagines this literary masterpiece, offering a fresh visual exploration of themes such as humanity’s confrontation with the unknown, the awe of nature’s forces, and the existential search for meaning.

Ruprecht von Kaufmann (Germany, b. 1974) was born in Munich, Germany, and earned his BFA at the ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles. He has taught at Berlin University of the Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, and currently lives and works in Berlin. Kaufmann is renowned for his emotionally charged and narrative paintings, blending figurative art with a dreamlike atmosphere that often evokes a sense of unease. His work explores various aspects of the human condition, using the visual language of contemporary painting to present critical narratives and parallel realities. He has exhibited in major cities such as London, Berlin, Stuttgart, Oslo, New York, and at renowned institutions such as the Georg Kolbe Museum in Berlin and the Böttcherstraße Museum in Bremen. His works are held in prestigious collections, including the Hort Family in New York, the Stelline Foundation in Milan, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Sammlung Philara Museum in Germany, and the Deutsche Bundesbank in Frankfurt.

Ruprecht von Kaufmann works primarily with oil, creating paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. His inspirations range from literature and mythology to film and personal experiences. His style fuses elements of figurative art, evoking a narrative quality akin to dreams. His paintings often feel like unfinished stories, as if the narrative extends beyond the canvas. Kaufmann pays particular attention to texture in his work, often using thick layers of paint and collage techniques to create depth and complexity. He deliberately blurs or scrapes parts of his paintings, preserving a sense of fluidity and imperfection. His use of strong color contrasts enhances emotional expression and narrative depth, while his compositions, which blend reality and fantasy, emphasize themes of isolation and vulnerability, imbued with dark humor and melancholic undertones.

Moby Dick, authored by Herman Melville, is known for its complex narrative structure and multiple perspectives, which have had a profound influence on modernist and postmodernist literature. In “Der Weisse Wal”, Kaufmann explores how visual storytelling can express layered meanings and complex emotions. In art history, from J.M.W. Turner’s romantic seascapes to Winslow Homer’s realist marine paintings, artists have used the ocean’s grandeur and danger to explore humanity’s relationship with nature. In Kaufmann’s work, the sea is not only a stage for adventure but also a metaphor for existential themes such as the search for meaning, isolation, absurdity, freedom, and choice.

The exhibition’s focal piece, a 3.67-meter-long triptych titled “Der Weisse Wal”, is a brand-new work created in 2024 and serves as the highlight of this solo exhibition. In this piece, Kaufmann uses cool and dark tones to convey a sense of mystery and the unknown, while key details are emphasized with bright colors, enhancing the visual impact. The painting features barely visible fishing boats, sailors, the white whale, and the swaying ocean, all captured in a surreal composition that encapsulates the tension and struggle between man and whale. The dreamlike color scheme blurs the line between reality and fantasy, reflecting the human connection with nature. Another new work, “Auf Hoher See” (On the High Seas), uses visual storytelling to depict the sailors’ tumultuous relationship with the sea, evoking the power of the ocean and humanity’s insignificance in the face of nature. In “Frühling und Winter” (Spring and Winter), Kaufmann uses a surrealist approach to depict the ever-changing sea, with unpredictable shifts between spring and winter. “Leichtmatrose” (Off-Season), another new piece, features an orange background highlighting a sailor in a relaxed pose, capturing the momentary release of tension in a cinematic and dramatic style.

Through his unique figurative and narrative style, Ruprecht von Kaufmann successfully transforms the classic literary work Moby Dick into a visual feast. His imaginative and profound paintings breathe new life into Herman Melville’s original text. Not only does his art capture the essence of the novel, but the narrative elements deepen our understanding of the characters’ inner struggles and the confrontation with the forces of nature. Kaufmann’s interpretation elevates Moby Dick to new visual heights, offering viewers a fresh and captivating experience, while reviving the brilliance of this literary classic. Through his innovative artistic expression, Ruprecht von Kaufmann pays homage to the original while showcasing the perfect union of classic literature and contemporary art.