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Stefan
Knauf

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About

Stefan Knauf was born in Munich (DE) in 1990. He lives and works in Berlin (DE).

Knauf explores the ideological and colonial structures that continuously shape the world through design and space-making practices, particularly with regard to the landscape and the natural world. His diverse practice probes the history of botany, migration, trade, science, and architecture to uncover concrete paradoxes in our misperception of nature as something inherently stable, wild, or uncultured. Knauf’s recent research has led him to countless ecosystem restoration initiatives around the world, where governments and companies are effectively attempting to “re-create” previously destroyed or eroded natural environments.

With these various symbolic and formal references, Knauf outlines a political history of human geoengineering and points to how our understanding of nature, technology, and their interrelation continue to blur the lines between the natural and artificial.

Education
 
Made Labs Formafantasma & Fernando Laposse, Academy of Fine Arts, Sicily, (IT)
Master of Arts, Speculative Design, Universität der Künste, Berlin, (DE)
Master of Arts, Fine Arts, Universität der Künste, Berlin, (DE)
Bachelor of Arts, Columbia University, New York, (US)

Publications

2025 Forever Now, Distanz, Berlin
2024 Der Silberglanz natürlicher Dinge, Livie Gallery, Zürich
2023 The Series, The Steidz, Paris 
2019  Analogies between the built environment and contemporary art, Princeton University
2018  Paradise is now! Palm Tree in Art, catalog for the exhibition, Salon Dahlmann Berlin
2018  Ich bin ein Riss, ich will durch Wände gehen, catalog for the exhibition, Salon Dahlmann Berlin

Awards
 
2017  Hanke-Förster-Preis, award for sculpture of the Hanke Förster foundation, Berlin, (DE)
2017  Form follows future, scholarship of Fraunhofer Institut, ISE Freiburg, (DE)
2012  Helmut-Thoma-Preis, award for sculpture of the Helmut Thoma foundation, Berlin, (DE)
2009  Crossmedia Award, award for shortfilms, LBS, Munich, (DE)
2009  Film grant for shortfilm, Würzburg, (DE)

Public Collections

Peters-Messer Art Collection, Berlin/Viersen (DE)
Miettinen Collection, Berlin (DE)
Mimi Dusselier and Bernard Soens Art Collection, Brüssel (BE)
Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, Stuttgart (DE)

Teaching

2024 Absent Context, Princeton School of Architecture, NJ (USA)
2022 History of Landscape, Musée Soulages, Rodez (FR)
2021 On Romanticism, Princeton School of Architecture, NJ (USA)
2019 Lambs and Landscape, Princeton School of Architecture, NJ (USA)
2013 Money on Monday, University of the Arts, Berlin (DE)
Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

2026 When Beginnings End, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin (DE
2025  Forever Now, Haus Coburg – Städtische Galerie Delmenhorst, Delmenhorst (DE)
2023 Diorama, Eyes Only Gallery, with Robert Grunenberg, Munich (DE)
2022 Birds don’t cry, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin (DE)
2019  Oscar Columno’, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin (DE)

Public Collections

Mercedes-Benz Art Collection (DE)
Miettinen Collection, Berlin (DE)
Sammlung Peters-Messer Berlin/Viersen (DE)

Group Exhibitions

2025 Kunsthalle Helsinki, Helsinki (FI)
2025 Where are we now, Philara Düsseldorf (DE)
2025 Hallen 06, Wilhelmhallen, Art Week Berlin (DE)
2025 Nous n’irons plus au bois…, Robert Grunenberg Berlin (DE)
2025 A Little Madness in the Spring, Miettinen Collection/Sotheby’s Berlin (DE)
2024 Paradies, D.D.D.D., New York (US)
2024 NACHTS WACH, Livie Gallery Zurich (CH)
2024 Fruits of Labor, Saint Anne Gallery, Paris (FR)
2023 IMAGINE — 10 Unrealized Projects, Robert Grunenberg (DE)
2021  ATTACCATUTTO, fructa space, Munich (DE)
2020  Sincere Intentions, Robert Grunenberg (DE)
2018  Ich bin ein Riss, ich will durch Wände gehen, Salon Dahlmann, Berlin (DE)
2018  Losing my Virginity, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin (DE)
2018  Paradise is now, Salon Dahlmann & Robert Grunenberg, Berlin (DE)
2018  Salone del Mobile, Chezplinio, Milan (IT)
2017  Wenn der Pfau weint, group exhibition, Galerie 7 Türen, Hamburg (DE)
2016  Hot, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (DE)
2015  Höhenrausch Festival, Linz (AU)
2015  Aqua con crete, SEZ, Klasse Manfred Pernice, Berlin (DE)
2013  Votre Faust, Opera, Henri Pousseur, Stage Design, Directed by Aliénor Dauchez, Kammeropera Berlin (DE)
2013 Radialsystem, Theater Basel, Stadttheater (DE & CH)
2013  Shorting Art, lecture performance, former west symposium Haus der Kulturen der Welt, HKW, Berlin; Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Kopenhagen (DE & DK)

past exhibitions
Stefan Knauf
Birds don’t cry
11 JUNE – 30 JULY 2022
Stefan Knauf
Oscar Columno
19 FEBRUARY – 5 APRIL 2019
Stefan
Knauf
press
BOOKLET: STEFAN KNAUF, 2023
€10.00