Gabriel Schmitz, born 1970 in Dortmund, Germany, is a figurative painter. He studied painting at Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland, from 1990 to 1994, followed by a Master in European Fine Art in Barcelona, where he continues to live and work.
His work has been shown widely in Europe, with regular exhibitions in Barcelona, Paris and Oslo, London and Madrid. (find detailed C.V. below), and in recent years his work found resonance in fairs in the U.S. and Asia.
His origins are rooted in German expressionism although later the influences widened. British painters such as Frank Auerbach, Francis Bacon or, to a lesser extent, Lucian Freud had a great impact on him, and other creative fields soon became sources of inspiration, above all contemporary dance, but also cinema, theatre and literature. The fascination for foreign cultures has led to a wide range ethnical references in his work, as well as a series of travel sketchbooks that serve to ground his work in actual experience. Likewise he collaborates with dance companies, and since 2015 has embarked on a series of artistic residencies in the U.S., always looking for new inspiration for his paintings and drawings.
solo-shows (since 2000)
2023 "¡Baila Maiko-San!", House of Arts, Salzburg
"Duets", Scottish Storytelling Centre,
as part of the Pomegranates Festival,
Edinburgh, Scotland
2022 "Es Mou", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"Still Walking", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
2020 "Against all odds", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
"Le Pas Suspendu", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2019 "Recent Work", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
"Teixits de Temps", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2018 "Un lieu nommé silence", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2017 "Noticias del laberinto", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"Camins desfets", La Destillería, Mataró, Spain
2016 "Être emú par une image", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
"From afar", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
"In Situ", Panther Coffee, Wynwood, Miami
2015 "Sense Fi", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2014 "Un autre jour, un autre lieu", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2013 "Una qüestió de temps", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2012 "Con lo humano", Galería Rayuela, Madrid
"Le choix de l'humain", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
"Llocs comuns", Galería 22, Igualada, Spain
2011 "Llum passatgera", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2010 "À l'œil nu", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2009 "A cuerpo limpio", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"En lugar del tiempo", Galería Rayuela, Madrid
2008 "Ce qui reste", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2007 "Sense dir res", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"Quant temps fa que son aquí?", Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona
2006 "Huile et temps sur toile", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
"Vor Ort (o el artista trabajando)", Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2005 "Al seu lloc", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2004 "Entre les mains et les yeux", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2003 "Vueltas sin ida", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"Face Value", Pringle International Art, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
2002 "Demarcaciones", Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
"À perte de vu", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2001 "Reine Silencio", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
"New work from Spain", Pringle International Art, Princeton, U.S.A.
2000 "Du lieu du temps", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
selected group shows and art fairs (since 2000)
2024 "Personal Structures - Beyond Boundaries", collective exhibition parallel to the
Venice Biennale, Palazzo Mora, Venice
2023 Osten Drawing Biennale, Skopje, North Macedonia
"Noir et Couleur: Un Dialogue", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2022 "Personal Structures-Reflections", European Cultural Center, Palazzo Mora, Venice
"Visages et Silhouettes" (with Lídia Masllorenç), Galerie Arcturus, Paris
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
DelicArtessen, Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2021 "Dialegs" Galería EspaiG d'Art, Terrassa, Spain
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
2020 "Drawn to Carbon", curated by Elina Cerla, Graham Hunter Gallery, London
"Un Gin Tonic, Por Favor", Kaplan Projects, Palma de Mallorca
DelicArtessen, Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2019 SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
"Architecture & Dance" (with Bea Sarries), Martin's Atelier, Brussels, Belgium
"A Step in Time" (with Rik Freeman), Honfleur Gallery, Anacostia, Washington DC
"Art is in the Air", House of Arts, Salzburg, Austria
"Kunstkollektiv", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
"20 Ans", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2018 SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
North Art Fair, Aalborg, Galleri Ramfjord, Denmark
AAF Stockholm, Galleri Ramfjord, Sweden
Collectors' Choice, Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
Ramfjord's Kunstkollektiv, Oslo
2017 DelicArtessen, Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2016 "We are Antonyms", Fabre i Coats, Barcelona
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
"In situ", single piece intervention, Panther Coffee, Wynwood, Miami
2015 SCOPE New York, Gallerii Ramfjord
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
2014 AAF Singapur, Barnadas Huang Gallery, Singapur
Konvent.zero, ed.9, Berga, España
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
2013 "Tove Hirth/Gabriel Schmitz", Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
Copenhagen Art Fair, Galleri Ramfjord
"Un mirall buit", Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
SCOPE Miami, Galleri Ramfjord
"From Barcelona", Barnadas Huang Gallery, Singapur
Konvent.zero, ed.8, Berga, España
2012 "100x100", Galería Jordi Barnadas, Barcelona
Stipendutstilling, Galleri Ramfjord, Oslo
2011 ART Madrid, Galería Rayuela
"Panorama", Galería Rayuela, Madrid
2010 ART Madrid, Galería Rayuela, Madrid
2009 "Nouvelles fraîches", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
"Panorama", Galería Rayuela, Madrid
"Laberintos", Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2008 DelicArtessen, Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2007 "Silhouettes", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2006 "El viatje", Galería Barnadas, Barcelona
2005 St'Art 05, Strasbourgh Art Fair, France
2004 MiArt, Galería Barnadas, Milan, Italy
"Cinq année, cinq artistes", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
2003 "Extraños niños", Galería Tres Punts, Barcelona
2002 "Les papiers en tous ses états", Galerie Arcturus, Paris
St'Art02, Strasbourgh Art Fair, France
2001 "Hora Zero", Galería Montoriol, Barcelona
2000 "Women through the millennium", Pringle International Art, Philadelphia
Projects
2024 July 29th: Dance & Drawing session during the opening performance for the
Dance Alps Festival, Sankt Johann in Tirol, Austria.
June 10th: Disegni Sospesi, session of Dance & Drawing with vertical dancer
Chiara Sartori at CREA Cantieri del Contemporaneo, en La Giudecca, Venice.
June 6th: Incontro, encounter of Dance & Drawing with Elena Giannotti in the
Palazzo Mori Venice, as part of the exhibition Personal Structures-Beyond Boundaries,
organized by the European Cultural Centre.
2023 Artistic residence at the Pomegranates Festival, Edinburgh, including two
sessions of Dance & Drawing, one at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh,
and one in the Goethe Institute Glasgow.
2022 Incontri, extended version, Livorno, Italy
event with Elena Giannotti (dance), Ahmed Gronchi (music) and Gabriel Schmitz
RAD (Racconti di Altre Danze) Festival, Livorno
Ramfjordkunstkollektiv '22, artists´ residence, Oslo
Incontri nº I-V, encounters of Dance & Drawing, a series of live events
with invited dancer Elena Giannotti, Maiko Nishino, Cristina Martí and
Megumi Eda (and musician Reiko Yamada), part of the exhibition
Personal Structures-Reflections, organized by the European Cultural Centre
in Venice.
2021 Speaker at "Dialogues for Artists in a Changing World"
(Movement & Pigment, 01/05/2021)
Ramfjord Kunstkollektiv '21, artists´ residence, Oslo
2020 Collaboration with Altraste Dance Company for their piece "Mientras Llueva",
opening on the 26/09 in Vitoria, Spain
Cover illustration for "Poxpolin", CD by Sira Coel of traditional
Spanish and Basque children's songs
Ramfjord Kunstkollektiv (redux), artists' residence, Oslo
Publication of "Bach un fragmento" (artist's flip book), ed. Folio Club,
Barcelona
2019 Ramfjord Kunstkollectiv, Part II, artists' residence, Oslo
Publication of "Underwater Pub, Oslo April 2018 /
ArmitageGone!Dance Sept./Oct. 2018" sketchbook facsimile, ed. Folio Club,
Barcelona
2018 Fall residency, ESKFF at Mana Contemporary, New Jersey
Publication of "(I don't) Dance", artist's book, ed. Folio Club, Barcelona
Ramfjord Kunstkollektiv, artists' residence, Oslo
2016 Fall residency, ESKFF at Mana Contemporary, Miami
2015 International residency, ESKFF at Mana Contemporary, New Jersey
2012 Publication of "Viaje a Japón", sketchbook in facsimile edition, ed.
The Private Space, Barcelona
2011 Collaboration with Compañía Pendiente, D'une page blanche, contemporary
dance piece, Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona
2010 (ongoing) collaborating visual artist, Sudansa dance project, various schools and
Mercat de les Flors, Barcelona
2007 "Quant temps fa que som aquí'", artistic residence at the Hospital Universitari de
Bellvitge, Barcelona
2003 "Pasarela/Silencio", installation at the Centre de Creació L'Animal a l'esquena,
Girona
1998 Artwork for "Temporada d'Opera 98/99", annual program of the Liceu Opera House,
Barcelona