Irony and beauty in Chris Wehrmann's collages

On the occasion of the Day of Printmaking on March 15, 2025, the BBK Kunstforum Düsseldorf opened the exhibition beein-DRUCKT. Members of the association are presenting printmaking works that interpret the given theme »The world is beautiful«. Among the exhibiting artists is Chris Wehrmann from the Art.Salon artist program. He presents his digital collages as prints, combining digital and analog dimensions: »The surface should be as paper-like and matt as possible and ideally allow no or only minimal light reflections. This gives the details of the composition a completely new presence and makes them clear and perceptible to the viewer. Since my compositions contain photorealistic incompleteness, superimpositions and not clearly defined outer boundaries, the viewer may be confused as to whether the work is analog or digital.« Wehrmann's collages are created experimentally and without the use of AI. He often incorporates details from private photographs or his paintings into his works, with which he explores aspects and problems of the present.

Wehrmann's exhibited collages negotiate the theme of the show in two different ways in order to depict the complexity of life: On the one hand, they highlight positive things and remarkable little things that are often under-appreciated. On the other hand, »The world is beautiful« is taken ironically with a focus on the absurd. Wehrmann's works have been shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands.

The group exhibition beein-DRUCKT, curated by the artists Layla Reg and Kristine Tusiashvili, can be seen in Düsseldorf on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until March 30.