Christoph Hänsli Born 1963 in Zurich

Lives and works in Zurich

Christoph Hänsli is known for painting frequently overlooked everyday objects on a 1:1 scale. Since 1992, he is giving objects such as beer glasses, medicine packets, nails, paper scraps or discarded machines a new purpose on canvas and putting them thereby in the spotlight.

Hänsli paints objects in order to be able to see them properly, in particular to make them tangible for himself. Crucial in his artistic work is the artist’s special approach to humour: Hänsli's humour is a serious one, which is hidden, approaching the portrayed object carefully and respectfully, revealing life’s absurdities. Thus, the artist encourages the viewer to discard old patterns of perception and to approach things that one would otherwise not have considered ''image-worthy'' with unexpected curiosity. The artist is often more interested in painting traces, imprints of things or beings rather than showing them directly. In this way, he depicts by not depicting, thus creating a play between the mere presence and absence.

Christoph Hänsli was born in 1963 in Zürich, Switzerland. In 1988, Hänsli graduated from Lucerne School of Art and Design. Since 1989, his works have been exhibited throughout Switzerland and Germany. Galerie Peter Kilchmann has shown a series of works by the artist on occasion of the group exhibition "Four Positions in Painting" in 2022. His solo exhibition’’Die Konferenz der Dinge’’ was on view at the Villa Renata in Basel, Switzerland in 2020. In 2016, the artist had a solo exhibition in the Grand Palais, Berne, Switzerland entitled ‘’Nasse Hunde bleiben draussen’’. Hänsli had several solo exhibitions at the Galerie Judin, Berlin, Germany (2022, 2018, 2014, 2012) and in the Galerie Bob Gysin, Zurich, Switzerland (2015, 2011, 2009, 2007). Hänsli participated in group exhibitions at the following institutions (selection): Zürcher Kantonalbank, Collection presentation (2023); Kunsthaus Zürich (2022); Kunst(Zeug)Haus, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland (2021 & 2016) and Helmhaus, Zurich (1991). In 1990-1991 and 1992, Hänsli was awarded the Grant of Canton Zurich. Between 1992 and 1994, the artist studied Cinematography and History of Photography at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.