Rupprecht Matthies

Rupprecht Matthies was born in 1959 in Hamburg, Germany where he continues to live and work. His early educational background was in sociology, which is evident in his continued interest in producing socially committed art. He studied at the Hamburg Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste from 1980-1986. Since that time he has shown in numerous group exhibitions, and received his first solo show in 1989.

In 1998 Matthies began producing public art works, and in 2000 his shift to socially committed art was cemented with his participation in ongoing community improvement programs in the German city of Neuruppin. In 2003 he participated in a group show, Niemand ist eine Insel (No Man is an Island), curated by the Gesellschaft fur aktoelle Kunst, Bremen, in which he brought his work with the community directly into the art making process and exhibition for his work Verzichten (Relinquish). Since 2003 he has participated in exhibitions throughout Germany and Western Europe. He has also published a number of books including NA UND! (1999), Mut (2006), and Discussion Diaries I & II (2008). His work is included in the public collection of the Hamburg Kunsthalle and the Neues Museum Nurnberg. He is represented by Produzentengalerie in Hamburg.