John Bock

John Bock (born 1965 in Schenefeld, Germany) is a German artist. He studied in Hamburg, Germany and lives and works in Berlin.

Work

Bock is a multi-media artist primarily known for his performances. Since 1991, he creates environments hand crafted from found materials which function as symbolic settings for his "lectures." More recently there has been an increased production of film and video work.

In his "lectures", Bock acts on "stages" built from tables, cupboards or multi-level wood constructions. The objects are handmade or re-modeled accessories of the lecture, made out of clothing, electrical equipment such as hoovers and mixers, or "plastic diagrams" that illustrate his mathematical explanations. After the lecture, they are left on the stage which thus forms a "theatrical collage". The "lectures" are structured by different scenes in which Bock sometimes works with (non-professional) actors; frequently he plays pop songs or classical pieces from a record player. The lecture is mostly recorded on video. The film is then integrated in the installation, documenting the lecture throughout the exhibition.

Bock has been professor for sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts of Karlsruhe since 2004.

Exhibitions

Bock participated in numerous international exhibitions, among others the Venice Biennial (1999 and 2005) and the documenta 11 in Kassel (2002). He has also had solo exhibitions in a number of international institutions including MoMA and the New Museum in New York, Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, Kunsthalle in Basel, Secession, Wien, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

He has participated in various group shows including Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art, Barbican Centre, London, and "Laughing in a Foreign Language", The Hayward Gallery, London, both in 2008. John Bock: Maltreated Frigate, a monograph of his work, was published by Walther Koenig Ltd, 2007.

Bock is represented by Galerie Klosterfelde, Berlin, Anton Kern Gallery, New York, and Regen Projects, Los Angeles.

Selected Exhibitions

2013

Im Modder der Summenmutation, Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn, Germany Der Pappenheimer, Kunstverein Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany ll Palazzo Enciclopedico - 55th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2013, Venice, Italy

2012

Into the Quasi-Me-Hill, DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, Barneys Madison Avenue, New York, NY Lecker Puste (Delicious Breath), Métamatics Research Initiative, performance at The Watermill Center, Watermill, NY

2011

Lost-Egg in the Desert, Jumex Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico OHR-WALACHEI, Klosterfelde Gallery, Berlin, Germany Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin, Germany Lichterloh / roh, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, CA

2010

John Bock, Anton Kern Gallery, New York, NY Nöle, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Málaga, Spain FischGrätenMelkStand, Temporäre Kunsthalle, Berlin, Germany Curve-Vehicle incl. π-Man-(.), The Curve, Barbican Centre, London, UK

2009

Lecture / Fashion Show The greased bendsteering in the luggage gets tangled up with the white shirt (German: Die abgeschmierte Knicklenkung im Gepäck verheddert sich im weissen Hemd) at HKW, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany

John Bock films, www.tank.tv

"No Time No Screws", Eleni Koroneou Gallery, Athens

2008

Film Retrospective, curated by XYZ, Mikrokosmos Cinema, Athens, Greece PARA - SCHIZO ensnarled, IAS (Insa Art Space), Arts Council Korea, Seoul, Korea Palms, REDCAT, Los Angeles (CA), USA Bendix Harms Lebenslieben, Anton Kern, New York (NY), USA The Hamsterwheel, Malmö Konsthall, Sweden (cat.) Martian Museum of Terrestrial Art, Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK Laughing in a Foreign Language, Hayward Gallery, London, UK Inside Beyond, GióMARCONI, Milan, Italy

2007

Beyond the Country, Lewis Glucksman Gallery University College Cork, Ireland Artists as Collectors, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Heidelberg, Germany The High Desert Test Sites, organized by Andrea Zittel, Shaun Caley Regen, Lisa Anne Auerbach, John Connely and Andy Stillpass, Los Angeles (CA) The Harder You Look, Eleni Koroneou Gallery, Athens John Bock, Sadie Coles HQ, London John Bock, Regen Projects, Los Angeles (FL) Fit to Print: printed media in recent collage, Gagosian Gallery, New York Soufflé, eine Massenausstellung, Kunstraum Innsbruck

2006

John Bock – Mit Schisslaveng, Anton Kern Gallery, New York Zero Hero, The Moore Loft, Miami, (FL) Anstoss Berlin, Kunst Macht Welt, Haus am Waldsee, Berlin Dada’s Boys, The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh John Bock’s Medusa im Tam Tam Club, Staatsoper unter den Linden, Berlin John Bock: Lütte mit Rucola, Klosterfelde, Berlin The Hugo Boss Prize 2006, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York Nöle, Schauspielhaus, Zürich (……) – Surrogat, Netherlands Media Art Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2005

A-Buba, Stella Lohaus Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium John Bock, Frac Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Marseille, France Skipholt, Kling & Bang, Reykjavik PestKOP im black rebel motorcycle club, Hamburger Bahnhof Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Hamburg, Germany Girls on Film, curated by Kirsty Bell, Zwirner and Wirth Gallery, New York The Addiction, Gagosian Gallery, Berlin Abnormal, Nyehaus, New York Dionysiac, Fondation Cartier Pour L’Art Contemporain, Paris LI Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy 8th Biennale d’Art Contemporaian de Lyon, Lyon, Paris Rough Diamond, Program, London Reykjavík Arts Festival 2005, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík

2004

Works from the Boros Collection, Museum für Neue Kunst, Karlsruhe (cat.) John Bock, Nicola Trussardi Foundation, Milan, Italy Klutterkammer, ICA, London Manifesta 5, European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

2003

John Bock, Gió Marconi, Milan, Italy

2001

Im Dilemma der ExistoEntropie, Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn, Germany MultiplexQuasiSiena – “le repubbliche dell’ arte germania”, Palazzo delle Papese, Freestyle: Werke aus der Sammlung Boros, Museum Morsbroich, Leverkusen, Germany (cat.) Centro d’Arte Contemporanea, Siena, Italy Eleni Koroneu, Athens Dionysische Monologicus – Gelüste eines Schwachomaten “Aller Anfang ist Merz – von Kurt Schwitters bis heute”, Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany Ma’am prosciutto crudo, HM Klosterfelde, Hamburg, Germany MEECHbuildings – “playing among the ruins”, RCA Galleries, London “New Settlements”, Jacob Fabricius, Copenhagen John Bock, Sadie Coles HQ, London

2000

1 = 2 + Kleinodtod, Berlin ArtemisiaSoqJod ? Meechwimper lummerig, HM Klosterfelde, Berlin, MEECHbuilding, Berlin Paramoderne = Rokokkogobrot., “Zeitwenden – Rückblick & Ausblick”, Vienna MienGribbohmWien – la forma del mondo – la fine del mondo, PAC Milan, Italy (cat.) Schon bezahlt, schon Dir, “RE_public”, Grazer Kunst Verein at the EXPO 2000, Hannover, Germany Dionysische Monologicus – Gelüste eines Schwachomaten. Multiple Quasi-Maybe-Me-Be updown, recent works Jacob Frabricius, Copenhagen Captain Sheriff Schippert Dröge, Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst, Bremen Pizza Kiwi Nazionale, Auckland, New Zealand Schon bezahlt, schon Dir, Steirischer Herbst, Graz, Austria ArtemisiaSoqJod ? Meechwimper lummerig, “hypermental - Wahnhafte Wirklichkeit [surral reality] 1950–2000. Salvador Dalí to Jeff Koons, Kunsthaus Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland (cat.) Ma’am prosciutto crudo, OK – Zentrum für Gegenwartskunst, Linz, Austria

1999

Berlin Biennal, Heu in der Kadernwelle, Berlin $ 1.000.000 Knödel Kisses, pfüti, Galerie der Stadt Schwaz, Austria, Nov. Rasputin ist Mütterchel, Marstall, Munich, Feb. Regardez le Diskjockey Long John Silver, Eleni Koroneu, Athens Maybe-Me-Be-Microworld, Anton Kern, New York SoonSonicShySONSupernovaSide UP, group exhibition with Siegrun Appelt and Matthew Antezzo, Charim Klocker, Vienna Lombardi Bängli, Kunsthalle Basel, Basel, Switzerland (cat.) Memme muss schlafen opening exhibition of S.M.A.K., Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent, Belgium opt. APE trouvé Moving 50 Diagram, Giò Marconi, Milan, Italy ApproximationRezipientenbedürfniscomaUrUltraUseMaterialMiniMax, 48th Biennale, Venice (cat.) MolkeMeHindVehikel Klosterfelde, Statement ArtBasel Quasi-Ich-Isoquantenschar-Kammer “Nachbar” Galerie Krinziger / Benger Park, Bregenz, Austria Paramoderne = Rokokkogobrot “Kraftwerk Berlin” Kunstmuseum Aarhus, Denmark Existo – Tour 99 “ars viva – Gernzgänge”, Casino LuxembourgDer Försterfall im Hirschfall oder das Loch der positiven Vernunft Austellungsraum Schnitt, Cologne, Germany Der Fall des reinen Tausches in der Edgeworth – Box “home and away”, Kunstverein Hannover (cat.) Von der Kunst bis zum Warten + drinnen Jungtiere “Education. Information, communication and didactics in contemporary fine art.” Steirischer Herbst, Graz, Austria NaiAristotelesOchi – Nichtsabsolut The Athens School. German art today”. Technopolis, Athens (cat.) MolkeMeHindVehikel “Children of Berlin”, P.S.1, New York Lombardi Bängli – “German Open 1999 – Contemporary Art in Germany”, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg (de) Paramoderne = Rokokkogobrot “Zeitwenden – Rückblick & Audblick” Kunstmuseum Bonn (cat.) Koppel op Kop. ars viva 1999-2000, Kunstverein Freiburg (cat.) Yes Sir No Sir, Stella Lohaus, Antwerp

1998

Meechfieber im Paradoxonmodderkarton, HM Klosterfelde, Hamburg, Germany BommelbabyfaceNelson, Laurids & Mattheus, Karlsruhe, Germany Kunst und Papier auf dem Laufsteg [Art and paper on the catwalk], Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin Silageproppen verstopft den Streptopenfluss im Love-Time-Mluiplikator, Ausstellungsraum Offenbach, 7 Aug. MienGribbohmWien, Vienna secession (cat.) Regardez le Diskjockey Long John Silver “El Niño”, Museum am Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach, Aug. LiquiditätsAuraAromaPortfolio, Sept.

1997

Die molekulare Heimsuchung des Herrn 0,47, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Molloch, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Das Gängelband der Kunstwohlfahrt, Klosterfelde, Berlin Rasputin ist Mütterchen, Performatrix, KX, Hamburg, Germany Am Tüddelband der Liebeselastizität, Element, Berlin

1996

Gribbohm, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Die Dreckschleuder, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany Die dynamische Nacht des Titerus, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Der heilige Anwalt in Antwerpen, Lokaal 05, Antwerp, Belgium Der Onkel im Koffer, Maastricht, Belgium

1995

Das Kunstwerk des 21. Jahrhunderts, Friedensallee 12, Hamburg, Germany Das Feld, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Der Fremde in der 4. Etage, Das Trojanische Schiff, Hamburg, Germany

1994

Kunstkarton, Kunsthaus, Hamburg, Germany Heilung Nr. 4, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Törtchen der Leidenschaft, Westwerk, Hamburg, Germany

1993

Haschkeks, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Drei Räume, not executed Der kleine Rezipient und der grosse Rezipient, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Komparativer Kunstfähigkeitsvorteil, Friedensallee 12, Hamburg, Germany Die Kunstwohlfahrtsmaschine, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany 4 x Rezipientenmodelle, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Elephant, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany

1992

Wie werde ich breühmt?, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Paul Eluard Gesichtskorrektur, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Jackson – Action, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany Kunst – Mädchen – Erfolg – Tod, Hochschule für bildende Kunst, Hamburg, Germany

Mord und Robotermalerei, Pudelsclub Hamburg, Germany

Lectures

• 2009: Lecture / Fashion Show The greased bendsteering in the luggage gets tangled up with the white shirt (in German: Die abgeschmierte Knicklenkung im Gepäck verheddert sich im weissen Hemd) at HKW, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
• 2000: Four Lectures, Museum of Modern Art, New York
  • “Aller Anfang ist Merz – von Kurt Schwitters bis heute”, Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany, 6 June
  • Gribbohm meets Mini-Max society, (lecture 4, MoMA N.Y.C.)
  • thread waxing space, “death race”, Brooklyn, Dec.