JOCHEN MÜHLENBRINK

Best known for his meticulous depictions of fogged windows, duct tape, and Post-it notes, Mühlenbrink’s works probe the act of seeing and the nature of perception. His paintings often elicit double takes—transforming banal objects into psychologically charged, hyperreal surfaces.

Early Years

Born in Düsseldorf in 1980, Mühlenbrink studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 2002 to 2008. There, he became a master student of Eberhard Havekost, a prominent contemporary painter known for his digitally-informed realism and engagement with photographic imagery. The conceptual rigor of Havekost’s practice had a lasting influence on Mühlenbrink’s approach. He continues to live and work in Düsseldorf, where the muted industrial atmosphere informs much of his visual tone.

Jochen Mühlenbrink Artworks

Jochen Mühlenbrink’s contemporary art practice revolves around painting as a conceptual and perceptual experiment. Known for his virtuosic use of trompe-l’œil, he constructs illusions so convincing they challenge the viewer’s trust in their own vision. His artworks frequently imitate masking tape, condensation, or paper pinned to walls—elements which at first appear to be real materials, but upon closer inspection reveal themselves as painted.

What themes does Jochen Mühlenbrink explore in his work?

Mühlenbrink’s works often revolve around perception, illusion, and the constructed nature of reality. By using visual deception and hyperrealistic techniques, he invites viewers to question the reliability of vision and the truth of surface appearances

One of Mühlenbrink’s most recognisable series features fogged-up windows where fingers have traced drawings or graffiti into the condensation. In works like Spiegelung I (2011), viewers are faced with a misty pane bearing the vague impression of letters or silhouettes, evoking both physical and emotional opacity. These paintings meditate on memory, transience, and the unreliability of surface appearances.

Another hallmark of his practice is his ‘tape paintings’, where strips of masking or duct tape seem affixed directly to the canvas. Works such as Tape #32 (2017) showcase his acute sensitivity to shadow, texture, and materiality. Similarly, in his Post-it series, the ubiquitous office note becomes a site of painterly intervention—its folds and shadows rendered with startling realism. These motifs playfully interrupt the supposed autonomy of the painted surface.

What techniques does Jochen Mühlenbrink use?

Primarily a painter, Mühlenbrink employs traditional oil painting methods to achieve the illusion of real materials. He uses precise brushwork and a limited, often subdued palette to heighten realism, with careful attention to light, shadow, and surface texture. Despite their photorealistic appearance, his works are entirely hand-painted.

How does Jochen Mühlenbrink construct his imagery?

Although Mühlenbrink’s paintings appear to capture spontaneous moments or everyday materials, they are meticulously staged. The artist often creates physical mock-ups in his studio—taping paper to walls, misting glass panes, or simulating lighting conditions—to study how light and shadow behave. He then photographs these arrangements and uses the images as references for his paintings. This process allows him to blend observation with constructed illusion, heightening the tension between reality and its representation.

Exhibitions

Jochen Mühlenbrink has been the subject of both solo and group exhibitions at important institutions.

Solo Exhibitions

• J´M donc je suis, Museum Bensheim, Germany, 2023
• Jochen Mühlenbrink. Kunstmuseum Solingen, Germany 2020
• Falz. Malerei. Stadtmuseum Oldenburg, Germany 2018
• CLP Rapid. KunstHalle Cloppenburg, Germany 2015
• FRAGIL. Kunsthalle Wilhelmshaven, Germany 2013

Group Exhibitions

• Now! Painting in Germany Today, Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn, 2019
• Illusion and Reality, Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, 2017
• New Realisms, Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, 2015
• Trompe-l’œil Today, Kunsthalle Emden, 2013

Website and Instagram

Jochen Mühlenbrink’s website can be found here and his Instagram can be found here.

Ocula | 2025