1975

born in Dinslaken, Germany

1997 - 2002

studied at the Academy of Fine Arts (HfbK),
Hamburg

Passfeld lives and works in Hamburg

Wood is the material with which Thorsten Passfeld (*1975 in Dinslaken) constructs his wall objects, sculptures, installations and even whole houses. Passfeld initially studied Visual Communication and then Painting at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg. However he frequently felt a strong urge to go beyond the visual and was drawn to a material he could work on directly with his own hands and also use to develop autonomous larger structures.

In recent years Passfeld has created coloured, relief-like wall objects assembled using individual pieces of wood. In these works, the wooden object and text form an ironic alliance and the sculptural approach to wood corresponds to Passfeld’s original affinity for painting. In his works Passfeld deconstructs the bourgeois universe of wooden banners and instead of the maxims of idyllic moral uprightness, the imperative is used, and adherence to these particular commands holds a promise of social acceptance in contrasting milieus: Please become nonchalant, sporty, successful, popular and beautiful.’ With the commission to construct a 1:1 replica of the Oberhafenkantine (Oberhafen canteen) in Hamburg, Passfeld completed the work cycle "Häuser aus Holz" (wooden houses) in summer 2009. The artist built these houses by himself and they stood for only a short time in public spaces as temporary sculptures that could be accessed and utilized.

The material aesthetics of Passfeld’s objects in wood intentionally undermine the prevailing criteria of the art business. The artist poses the question of whether or not true small-mindedness can be found in just the place where aesthetics and materials are disrespectfully looked down on because they do not correspond to what one considers or should consider cool.

2009

Oberhafenkantine Replika, Hamburg

2007

Kirche des Guten Willens, Hamburg
Theaterfestival Impulse (altered), Düsseldorf

2006

Heim (28m²), Ding Dong Art Festival, Hamburg
Bahnhofstoilette zum letzten Anfang, Skulpturenpark City Nord, Hamburg
Kapitän Walter Porschels trad. Weinklause, Kunstverein Buchholz

2005

Zum Falschen Freund (15m²),
Kunstverein Buchholz & Hafencity, Baltic Raw Tower, Hamburg

2004

HoftheaterVierlinden(130m²),
Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

2002

Haus aus Holz (60m²), Hamburg

2009

The Power of Trauer, Feinkunst Krüger, Hamburg (E)

2007

Kommt jetzt alle rein,bitte, Feinkunst Krüger, Hamburg (E)
Torpedos der Doofheit, Galerie Hilger, Art Cologne, Köln (G, K)
Und wir gehen lieber im Dunkeln durch die Strassen, Galerie Ölfrüh, Hamburg (E)

2006

SKAM – Gruppenausstellung, Raum 2, Mannheim (G)
Heim, Ding Dong Art Festival, Hamburg (E)
SKAM Ausstellung, SKAM, Hamburg (E)
Play with the Big, environment and installation, Art Basel Miami Beach

2005

Malerei ist doof, SKAMraum, SKAM, Hamburg (E)
Frühling, SKAMraum,SKAM, Hamburg (E)
Nekoaid, Nekojuice, Berlin (E)

2004

Turner Toons, Galerie 27, Leipzig(G)

2003

Falsche Wiese, Galerie 27, Leipzig(G)

2002

Index 02, Kunsthaus Hamburg, Hamburg (G)
Exklusiv 27, Galerie 27, Leipzig
SKAM plett, SKAM, Hamburg(G)
Diplomausstellung, HfbK, Hamburg(G)

2001

Final SKAM, SKAM, Hamburg(G)

2000

Tagesmaschine (Installation), Produzentengalerie, Kassel (E)

1999

Hengstland, Fundbureau, Hamburg (E)

1998

Keine großen Werke schaffen, Hafenklang, Hamburg (E)

2002

Harmlose große Bilder, Kaifu Art Center, Hamburg (E)

2009

Die Insel, Kampnagel, Hamburg; Sophiensäle, Berlin
Die Räuber(Puppentheater Das HELMI), Ballhaus Ost, Berlin; Mannheim

2007

Den Teufel tun (Nils Koppbruch)

2005

Der Lack (Inga Wagner), 2. Rang Foyer, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg

2004/2005

Spezialmensch (Schorsch Kamerun), Malersaal, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Hamburg