Albert Oehlen

Albert OEHLEN (1954, Germany) is the eldest son of cartoonist Adolf Oehlen. His talent for drawing was evident from an early age, making a career in art a natural path. At the Hamburg University of Fine Arts, he studied under Claus Böhmle and Sigmar Polke. Together with his friend and colleague Büttner, Oehlen founded the “League Against Contradictory Behaviour” – a move that did not stop him from constructing his own works from a fascinating web of contradictions. Even in provocative works like his infamous Self-Portrait with Soiled Underpants and Blue Mauritius, Oehlen rejected claims of deliberate provocation, insisting instead that the combination of excrement and preciousness was meant to prompt his audience toward deeper interpretation. While painting remained central to his practice, it did not encompass the entirety of his work: Oehlen became one of the first multimedia artists, creating computer-based artworks that, in light of rapidly advancing technology, may now appear naive but still retain a distinct fascination. Oehlen frequently works in series, creating one image after another and composing visual suites that push viewers forward while making definitive interpretation and categorisation as difficult as possible. Albert Oehlen has garnered significant attention beyond the German art scene. His works have been exhibited worldwide and are included in prominent public collections. He currently lives and works in Switzerland.
Filmography
Bad Painter (2025)
More info: Wikipedia, Albert Oehlen
Albert Oehlen at IFFR
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Bad Painter
A knowing portrait of painter Albert Oehlen, in the near future, by the painter himself.