ABOUT
Martin Koester
The city painter
Martin Koester is fascinated by the beauty when a city transforms at nightfall. Car headlights that dance as lights in the streets, bright restaurant doors that light up the sidewalks – each of these lights has its own story and he loves to translate these stories into art.
Martin Kösters motive is a city, but the message is hope. Rain has passed and now the lights are dancing on the wet streets. The grim streets lead from solitude to light, a symbol of desire and hope.
Köster is able to connect this motive with the romantics of a city, in order to make the viewer feel vibrance and pulse of the urban.
To feel the pulse of the city, Koester likes to climb the tallest buildings around. On the roofs, Koester paints his city scenes from above:
The vividness of the city is what the viewer discovers in his paintings.
Many artists draw in the nature, but drawing from Skyscrapers is inspiringly new.
“Every time I am surprised how much life I can observe down below. I feel the freedom and seclusion that inspires me.“
“I’ve always been fascinated by light in paintings. When rays of light break out of dark corners and bring the cities to life, I feel beauty.”
When Martin Köster is not painting on a high-rise, his works are created in his studio loft in Germany. Koester uses the photos and sketches he brought back from his city trips for his references.
“I like to arrange my works everywhere in my studio, so I see all the different cities at once. Then I feel the international flair again and if I relive all the stories.”
Martin Koester was born in Hanover, Germany in 1988. After graduating with a diploma from Leibniz University of Hanover, Koester began exhibiting throughout Germany.
In 2018, the city painter Koester received his first invitations to international exhibitions. Two years later, the contrast between dark buildings and bright lights has reached the international art world. He has gained an international following and been the subject of successful exhibitions in in London, New York, Moscow, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Paris and many other cities worldwide.
Exhibitions (selected):
2018
- Join me in the City Group Exhibition / Eclectic Gallery – London, United Kingdom
- Cityscapes Group Exhibition / Gallery 104 Broadway – New York, United States of America
2019
- Sea & City Duo Exhibition / Gallery Flying Colours – Buxtehude, Germany
- The Texture Show Group Exhibition / Gallery 104 Broadway – New York, Vereinigte Staaten
- Armory Art Week Group Exhibition / NYA Gallery – New York, United States of America
- Equinox Exhibition / NYA Gallery – New York, United States of America
- “The Healing Show” Exhibition / Art Center, NYA Gallery – New York, United States of America
- Group Exhibition Mercedes-Benz Art Night / Marcus Schäfer Kunst-Art – Hong Kong, China
- World Art Roadshow Group Exhibition / World Art Roadshow – Moscow, Russia
- ARTBAHO Fair / Spain Expo – Barcelona, Spain
- Group Exhibition / Gallery Birgit Berger – Düsseldorf, Germany
- ARTMUC Fair / Praterinsel 3 – Munic, Germany
- Exhibition Orric Building / Marcus Schäfer Kunst-Art – Düsseldorf, Germany
- A.R. Contemporary Art Ruhr / Unesco Welterbe-Zollverein – Essen, Germany
- Affordable Art Fair / Messeplatz 1 – Hamburg, Germany
2020
- Foward Group Exhibition / NYA Gallery – New York, United States of America
- RURAL VS URBAN Group Exhibition / THE BRICK LANE GALLERY – London, United Kingdom
- Discovery Art Fair Köln / XPOST Cologne – Cologne, Germany (postponed)
- Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt / Frankfurt Messe – Frankfurt, Germany (postponed)
- ARTMUC Munich / Isarforum – Munich, Germany
- Grand Touring Art Night / Ritz Carlton – Toronto, Canada (postponed)
- A.R. Contemporary Art Ruhr / Zollverein – Essen, Germany
- Affordable Art Fair Hamburg – Hamburg, Germany (postponed)
2021
- Incorporating Hamburg – Hamburg, Germany
- ARTe Wiesbaden – Wiesbaden, Germany
- ARTMUC Munich – Munich, Germany
- Soloexhibition / Gallery Kunst-Schaefer – Wiesbaden, Germany
- C.A.R. Contemporary Art Ruhr / Zollverein – Essen, Germany
- Discovery Art Fair Frankfurt / Frankfurt Messe – Frankfurt, Germany
- Affordable Art Fair Hamburg – Hamburg, Germany
- Discovery Art Fair Cologne – Cologne, Germany
- Beyond Art Exhibition – Hanover, Germany
Publications:
- Book: Martin Koester, The city painter; 2019
- Book: Martin Koester, The city painter; 2020
- Documentation: Martin Koester, The city painter; 2019 Klingebiel – CREATIVE