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Barbara Wien
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Berlin, Germany
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Tomas Schmit

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Tomas Schmit (1943–2006) is one of the pioneers of the Fluxus movement of the early 60s. Between 1970 and 2006 he developed a ramified work of drawings, texts, books and concepts of artists' books. Tomas Schmit has played a considerable role in shaping the radical questioning of art and approaches to new aesthetics. He took part in Fluxus events that are nowadays considered milestones in the art of the 60s. As organiser, he arranged for the legendary event 20th July TU Aachen 1964 (with Beuys, Köpcke, Vostell, Paik amongst others). In 1982, in the book 1962 Wiesbaden Fluxus 1982, he wrote the theoretical text about f. which represents one of the rare profound evaluations of the ideas of Fluxus from the artist's perspective.

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Tomas Schmit pulled out of the active Fluxus actions early, as he was against an adulteration of the radical potential. It is also this potential which his probably most important working principle is based on: 'what I learned from f., along with many other things: what can be mastered by a sculpture, doesn't have to be erected as a building; what can be brought by a painting, doesn't have to be made as a sculpture; what can be accomplished in a drawing, doesn't have to become a painting; what can be cleared on a scrap of paper, doesn't need to be done as a drawing; and what can be settled in the head, doesn't even require a paper scrap!'

In the following decades, Schmit developed works that comprise several thousand drawings. He published editions and books. His topics are language, logic, paradoxes, biology, cybernetics, cerebral research, behaviour research and apperception theory etc. In 1989, his book first draft (of central aesthetics) provided an introduction to cerebral research, which the cyberneticist Prof. Valentin Braitenberg characterised in the following way: 'I actually intend to recommend this book when some physicist or whatever other beginner, as it often happens, will again ask me for an introduction to cerebral research. I suppose, it took a poet to grasp the charm of the material access to psychology, including the pleasure in self-critical accuracy. Consequently, the book is an antipode to what ever so often annoys you: the belittling of events and concealment of problems that popular science uses to ingratiate with the people–but, thus, only shows its disrespect for the audience.'

Tomas Schmit had main retrospective solo exhibitions at Kölnischer Kunstverein (1978), DAAD gallery Berlin & Sprengel Museum Hanover (1987), Portikus Frankfurt/Main (1997) and Museum Ludwig Cologne (2007). He is represtented by Galerie Michael Werner, Berlin/New York and Barbara Wien, Berlin. In autumn 2021 Schmit will have two parallel major exhibitions in Berlin.

The Neue Berliner Kunstverein will show his early performative works (until 1969) and the Kupferstichkabinett Berlin will present his drawings. Two books will be published.

Text courtesy Barbara Wien.

Recent Exhibitions

Contemporary art exhibition, Group Exhibition, der grosse Anspruch des kleinen Bildes at Barbara Wien, Berlin, Germany Closed 1 December 2018–26 January 2019 Group Exhibition der grosse Anspruch des kleinen Bildes

Recent Artworks

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# 623 e-constellations by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork moving image
Tomas Schmit # 623 e-constellations, 28.08.2004 DVD, 25 min. loop, colour, english audio
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
# 593 please call me thank you by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork painting, works on paper, sculpture, drawing
Tomas Schmit # 593 please call me thank you, 2003 Drawing, ink on cardboard, punched, in portfolio
60 x 48 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
# 154 land und meer by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork painting, works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit # 154 land und meer, 1975 Drawing, ink, pencil & colour pencils
61 x 43 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
# 441 senza pappardelle, spez. p. j. g. by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit # 441 senza pappardelle, spez. p. j. g., 1995 Drawing, pencil & colour pencils
52 x 43 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
# 628 twicebears by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork painting, works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit # 628 twicebears, 2004 4 drawings, ink on cardboard, punched, in portfolio
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
# 575 the show by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit # 575 the show, 2002 Drawing, pencil & colour pencils
43 x 61 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
#576 wolle spielt beim reim ne rolle by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit #576 wolle spielt beim reim ne rolle, 2002 Drawing, pencil & colour pencils
43 x 61 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
#454 so stellen sich viren salmonellen vor by Tomas Schmit contemporary artwork works on paper, drawing
Tomas Schmit #454 so stellen sich viren salmonellen vor, 30.12.1995 Drawing, pencil & colour pencils
52 x 43 cm
Barbara Wien Contact Gallery
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Recent Artworks View All (13) Recent Artworks

Tomas Schmit In Video & Audio

Art Basel OVR: Pioneers | Duo Presentation Jimmie Durham & Tomas Schmit Related Video & Audio Art Basel OVR: Pioneers | Duo Presentation Jimmie Durham & Tomas Schmit 12 March 2021, Barbara Wien Fade out copy. View More
Video & Audio Read More (1) In Video & Audio
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