Austrian artist Martin C. Herbst pushes the limits of traditional painting. Most of his delicately executed paintings expand to the third dimension without denying their two-dimensional origin. His artistic career has been shaped by his lifelong interest in the human face and figure and by the question how to transform a portrait of a certain individual into a transpersonal and touching artwork. He understands (portrait) painting as a search for universal validity that is somehow larger than life.
MARTIN C. HERBST
Born 1965, Salzburg, Austria
EDUCATION
1989
Magister Artium, Class of Painting, Hochschule Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
Focus March, Galerie Le Royer, Toronto, Canada
2022
AUGEN|BLICKE (FLEETING MOMENTS), BEGE Galerien Ulm, Germany
2020
MCH, Galeria Contrast, Barcelona, Spain
Martin C. Herbst- Revisted, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Das Archiv der Blicke, Kunsthaus Köflach, Austria
Friktion - Martin C. Herbst und Levente Herman, Austrian Cultural Forum Budapest
2019
Essence, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
2018
Focus August, Le Royer, Montreal, Québec, Canada
Hidden Treasures, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv
2017
Positions, BEGE Galerien, Ulm, Germany
2015
WUNDERKAMMER, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Martijn van Wenen, Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014
Take My Eyes, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Afterimage, Juan Ruiz Gallery, Miami, USA
2013
Der Schöne Schein; GPL contemporary, Vienna, Austria
Martin C. Herbst, Boloix Fine Arts, Ketchum, ID, USA
2012
Strange Days, Jacob Karpio Gallery, San José, Costa Rica
Vom Sein und Schein der Welt, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
2011
Metamorphosis, Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Precious, Mark Hachem Gallery, Paris, France
2010
Traces, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Garden of Delights ,Fischerplatzgalerie, Ulm, Germany
Metamorphosen, T-40 Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
2009
Most Már Dereng, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Ariodante, Mike Weiss Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2007
Speculum-Spectaculum, MITO, Barcelona, Spain
Das Archiv der Blicke – Paintings on Aluminium, Fischerplatzgalerie, Ulm, Germany
The Presence of Memory/az emlékezet jelene, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Inspired (by), Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Basel, Switzerland
2006
Pontormo, Rudolf Budja Galerie / Artmosphere, Graz, Austria
2005
Angelus und Pomona, Rudolf Budja Galerie / Angelus, Rudolf Budja Galerie / Artmosphere, Vienna, Austria
2003
Faces – Surfaces, Artmosphere Vienna, Austria
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary, with Mark Hachem Gallery, Palm Beach, FL, USA
Art Central Hong Kong, with Zemack Gallery, Hong Kong, CHN
Art Palm Beach, with Mark Hachem Gallery, Palm Beach, FL, USA
2023
A look into Christopher Cutts home | Director´s choice, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Discoveries, VCRB Gallery Antwerp
Summer Group Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece
Art Karlsruhe, with VCRB Gallery Antwerp
CONTEXT Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
2022
Summer Group Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece
Art Karlsruhe, with BEGE Galerien, Ulm, Germany
Art Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
CONTEXT Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
A fine selection of contemporary masterpieces, Christian Marx Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
2020
91_-DIVOC, Zemack Gallery Tel Aviv, Israel
Time to watch, Galeria Contrast, Barcelona, Spain
Art Wynwood, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
Art Wynwood, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
2019
Art Miami, with Zemack Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Art Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
CONTEXT Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
Summer Exhibition, Boloix Fine Arts, Ketchum, ID, USA
French Salon, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
Fresh Paint, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
KunstRAI Amsterdam, with Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Art Central Hong Kong, with Zemack Gallery, Hong Kong, CHN
Art Karlsruhe, with Christian Marx Galerie, Rheinstetten, Germany
Palm Beach Modern & Contemporary, with ZK Gallery, Palm Beach, FL, USA
Another Dream, Zemack Galllery, Tel Aviv, Israel
The Power of Portrait, Christian Marx Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
Art Palm Beach, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Palm Beach, FL, USA
2018
AAF Hamburg, with Wanrooij Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
Art Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
Art Miami, with Zemack Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
SOFA Chicago, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Chicago, IL, USA
AAF Amsterdam, with Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Art Toronto, with Zemack Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Positions Berlin, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Summer Show, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
Fresh Paint, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
KunstRAI Amsterdam, with Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Art Central Hong Kong, with Zemack Gallery, Hong Kong, CHN
French Salon, Zemack Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel
Art Boca Raton, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Boca Raton, FL, USA
AAF Brussels, with Wanrooij Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
AAF London, with Wanrooij Gallery, London, UK
Art Stage Singapore, with Zemack Gallery, Singapore
The Art of Portrait, Boloix Fine Arts, Ketchum, ID, USA
Metall 3, Pforzheim Galerie, Pforzheim, Germany
Art Palm Beach, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Palm Beach, FL, USA
2017
Art Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
Positions Berlin, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Berlin, Germany
A Cup of Sugar, Exhibit A, Corning, NY, USA
Art New York, with Wanrooij Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Einfach GroßARTig, BEGE Galerien, Ulm, Germany
AAF London, with Wanrooij Gallery, London, UK
Art Palm Springs, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Palm Springs, CA, USA
Art Karlsruhe, with Die Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
2016
Art Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Art Miami, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
Art Toronto, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
AAF Amsterdam, with Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Summer Collective, Le Royer, Montreal, Québec, Canada
Summer Group Show, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece
Half a Pound of Art, störpunkt, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Munich, Germany
2015
Varfok Gallery´s 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Várfok 25 – a selection from 25 private contemporary art collections, Várnegyed Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
Up with Diversity!, Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
Here’s Looking Back at You: Images of Woman, Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ, USA
Eleven Years, Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Binghamton, NY, USA Summer Exhibition, Boloix Fine Arts, Ketchum, ID, USA
Summer Collective, Galerie LeRoyer, Montreal, Canada Summer, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Palm Springs, CA, USA
Affordable Art Fair Brussels, with Wanrooij Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Affordable Art Fair London, with Wanrooij Gallery, London, UK
Art Karlsruhe, with Fischerplatzgalerie, Karlsruhe, Germany
Art New York, with Wanrooij Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Silicon Valley, with Wanrooij Gallery, San Mateo, CA, USA
Art Fair Cologne, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Art Market Budapest, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
CONTEXT Art Miami, with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
2014
Opening Amsterdam 2014, Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
30 Jahre Fischerplatzgalerie, Fischerplatzgalerie Ulm, Germany
Realisme 14 (Amsterdam), Wanrooij Gallery, Arnheim, The Netherlands
Art Wynwood, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA and Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Affordable Art Fair New York, with Wanrooij Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam, with Wanrooij Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
SCOPE Miami, with Wanrooij Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
Art Toronto, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Affordable Art Fair Hamburg, with Wanrooij Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2013
Winter Solstice Painting Extravaganza, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Body Variances, Five European Sculptors, CAP-Exhibition Space Kuwait, Shuwaikh, Kuwait
GrauRand, Kunst Palais Liechtenstein, Vienna, Austria
Diving Lines, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Collective Exhibition, Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Winter group show, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Realisme 13 (Amsterdam), Wanrooij Gallery, Arnheim, The Netherlands
Art the Warehouse, with Wanrooij Gallery, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Art Wynwood, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
Art 2013, with Wanrooij Gallery, Utrecht, The Netherlands
SCOPE Basel, with Wanrooij Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
Art Miami, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
2012
Beyond Bling, The Artist as Jeweler, Claire Oliver Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Halali: Die Jagd nach dem Zeitgenössischen, GPL Contemporary, Vienna, Austria
schwarzweiß weißschwarz, Fischerplatz Galerie, Ulm, Germany
Summer Group Show, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Kontrazstok vonzásában / attracted by contrasts, REÖK, Szeged, Hungary
WinterARTigkeiten, Fischerplatz Galerie, Ulm, Germany
The Armory Show, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Palm Beach, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Palm Beach, FL, USA
India Art Fair, with Mauger Modern Art, New Delhi, India
Art Wynwood, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Basel, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Basel, Switzerland
FIA Caracas, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Caracas, Venezuela
ARTBO, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Bogota, Columbia
Art Miami, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
Art Miami Christopher Cutts Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Art Market Budapest, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary 2011
Figurative Kunst aus Österreich, Die Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany
Bakers Dozen, Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
TWENTY – FIVE, Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
7th Anniversary, T-40, Düsseldorf, Germany
SommerARTigkeiten, Fischerplatz Galerie, Ulm, Germany
Jacob Karpio Who, Jacob Karpio Galeria, San José, Costa Rica
No borders – Appeal to Heaven, Dvorac Sec Contemporary, Prague, Czech Republic
Epilogue, Mark Hachem Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Art Palm Beach, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Palm Beach, FL, USA
London Art Fair, with Mauger Modern, London, UK
SCOPE New York, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, New York, NY
SCOPE New York, with Mauger Modern, New York, NY Art Chicago, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Chicago, IL
FIA Caracas, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Caracas, Venezuela
SCOPE Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
SCOPE Basel, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Basel, Switzerland KIAF, withMauger Modern, Seoul, Korea
Art Toronto (sculpturfield), Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Kunst Zürich, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
Istanbul Contemporary with, Regis Krampf Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
Art Miami, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
2010
Crescendo, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Life as a Legend: Marilyn Monroe, MOCA - Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
Neue und Etablierte Positionen, GPL Contemporary, Vienna, Austria
Miami International Fair, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL
Art Karlsruhe, with Fischerplatzgalerie, Rheinstetten, Germany
Art Chicago, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Chicago, IL
FIA Caracas, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Caracas, Venezuela
SCOPE Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
SCOPE Basel, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Basel, Switzerland
ARTBO, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Bogota, Columbia ARTBO, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Bogota, Columbia
Art Toronto, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Kunst Zürich, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
Istanbul Contemporary, with Regis Krampf Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Christopher Cutts Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
Art Miami, with Juan Ruiz Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
2009
The Beautiful Painting Show, Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
5th Anniversary, T-40 Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
Los Angeles Art Show, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Los Angeles, CA, USA
SCOPE New York, with Mike Weiss Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Chicago Art Fair, with Mike Weiss Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
SCOPE Basel, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Basel, Switzerland
SCOPE Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
Art Vilnius, with Várfok Galéria, Vilnius, Lithuania
Arte Santander, with MITO, Santander, Spain
Art Bodensee, with Fischerplatz Galerie, Dornbirn, Austria
ARTBO, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Bogota, Columbia
Budapest Art Fair, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
2008
Phobea, with Galerie Bailly Contemporain, Paris, France
SPUR projects, Portola Valley, CA, USA
Five Year Anniversary Show, Mike Weiss Gallery, New York, NY
MIS-EN ABYME (KÉP A KÉPBEN), Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Ganz schön ART-ig: LECKERBISSEN III, Fischerplatz Galerie, Ulm, Germany
Summer Jam, T-40 Galerie, Düsseldorf, Germany
Art Madrid, with MITO, Madrid, Spain
Art Karlsruhe, with Fischerplatzgalerie, Ulm, Germany
SCOPE New York, with Mike Weiss Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Art Brussels, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Brussels, Belgium
SCOPE Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
Balelatina Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
SCOPE Basel, with Fabian & Claude Walter Galerie, Basel, Switzerland
SCOPE Hamptons, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, East Hampton, NY, USA
ARTBO, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Bogota, Columbia
SCOPE London, with MITO, London, UK
Art International Zürich, with Fischerplatz Galerie, Zürich, Switzerland
Galerie Bailly Contemporain Show Off , Paris
Kunst Zürich, with Galerie von Braunbehrens, Zürich, Switzerland Budapest
Art Fair, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
SCOPE Miami, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA
SCOPE Miami, with Mike Weiss Gallery , Miami, FL, USA
2007
Art Miami, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Miami, FL, USA
palmbeach3, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Schwarzweiß- Weißschwarz, Fischerplatz Galerie, Ulm, Germany
Art Karlsruhe, with Fischerplatzgalerie, Rheinstetten, Germany
real-irreal, Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Malerei der Gegenwart: Zurück zur Figur, KunstHausWien, Vienna, Austria
Life as a Legend - Marilyn Monroe, Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, Ohio, USA, Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, West Virginia, USA Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City, Iowa, USA
KIAF, with Galerie von Braunbehrens, Seoul, South Korea
Art Moscow, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Moscow, Russia
arteBA, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
SCOPE Basel, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Basel, Switzerland
ARTBO, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Bogota, Columbia
modern 07, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Munich, Germany
selection 07, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Moscow, Russia
ART.FAIR 21, with Fischerplatz Galerie, Cologne, Germany
Cologne Fine Art, with Várfok Galéria, Cologne, Germany
arte Lisboa, with MITO, Lisbon, Portugal
Art Fair Budapest, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
Art Basel Miami Beach, with Jacob Karpio Galeria, Miami, FL, USA 2006
CAP-I-CUA, MITO, Barcelona, Spain
AMADEUS – MADEUSA, Rudolf Budja Galerie/ Artmosphere Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
Life as a Legend - Marilyn Monroe, Boca Raton Museum of Art, FL, USA
Art Miami, with Rudolf Budja Galerie/ Artmosphere Wien, Miami, FL, USA
palmbeach3, with Rudolf Budja Galerie/ Artmosphere Wien, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
10th International Art Fair Moscow, with Rudolf Budja Galerie/ Artmosphere Wien, Moscow, Russia
Art Fair Cologne, with Leonhard Ruethmueller Contemporary, Cologne, Germany
Plug - Contemporary Art Fair, with Várfok Galéria, Budapest, Hungary
2005
Beauty, with Rudolf Budja Galerie / Artmosphere Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
Wiesionen - Zeitkunst, Galerie Kulterer/Schloß Wolfsberg, Austria,
Galleria Juris and Perl, Venice, Italy
Marilyn, Una Vida de Leyenda, Claustro de Exposiciones del Palacio Provincial de Cádiz; Centro Cultural de la Villa Madrid, Madrid, Spain
2004
Love, Rudolf Budja Galerie / Artmosphere Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
Marilyn, Una Vida de Leyenda, Reales Atarazanes de Valencia, Valencia Spain;
Vakko Beyoglu Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2003
The Last Supper, Artmosphere Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Marilyn, The Life of a Legend, County Hall Gallery, Galerie Levi, Hamburg, Germany
2001
Ich Tarzan – Du felix Austria?, Christine König Galerie, Vienna, Austria
publications (selected):
mercury | Martin C. Herbst, Austria 2021
99 Faces, M. C Herbst, Austria, 2007
Cap-I-Cua, published by MITO, Barcelona, 2006
speculum-spectaculum, published by MITO, Barcelona, 2006
angelus, published by Rudolph Budja Galerie / Artmosphere, Vienna 2005
Faces, published by Artmosphere, Vienna 2003
M.C. Herbst, published by Galerie Gerlich, Salzburg 1996
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