David Ostrowski
David Ostrowski (born 1981 in Cologne, Germany) is a German painter. Ostrowski studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Albert Oehlen. He is a Professor of Painting at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe since 2022.
David Ostrowski
- Name
- David Ostrowski
- Born
- 1981
- Birthplace
- Cologne
- Field
- Painting
- Training
- Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Movement
- Contemporary art
- Nationality
- Germany
- Occupation
- painter
- Languages
- German
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wikidata · Q19665303 · wikipedia · David Ostrowski
In this article
Biography
Biography
He is the grandson of Krystyna Żywulska. He lives and works in Cologne, Germany.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — David Ostrowski • Born — 1981 • Birthplace — Cologne • Field — Painting • Training — Kunstakademie Düsseldorf • Movement — Contemporary art • Website — david-ostrowski.com
Work
Work
In his paintings, Ostrowski uses a restricted range of materials from his studio, including canvas, primer, emulsion, spray paint, and found objects like paper, cardboard, and tape. The works are casual, often monochrome, and characterized by a process that combines intuitive gestures with elements of chance and error. Ostrowski’s approach avoids traditional pictorial conventions and his paintings are often left open to interpretation, with titles such as F suggesting ambiguity. Ostrowski’s work has been described to focus on the exploration of emptiness within the context of painting.
Solo Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
• 2026: The Critic, Kunstverein Heilbronn • 2026: Test, The Perimeter, London • 2025: Let me put it this way, Aranya Art Center, Beidaihe, China • 2024: Parliament, Sprüth Magers, New York • 2023: Leeres Wasser (Anti Drawings), Fig., Tokyo • 2024: Concerned with things as their own composition, Ramiken, New York • 2021: So kalt kann es nicht sein / It can't be that cold, Sprüth Magers, Berlin • 2020: Lady Helen, Lady Helen, London (with Angharad Williams) • 2020: POGŁOS / OVERTONE, Avant-Garde Institute, Warsaw (with Tobias Spichtig) • 2020: Lieber Nackt als Gefühlsleben, Jir Sandel, Copenhagen • 2020: Menschen, Bilder, Emotionen / 사람, 그림, 감정, Leeahn Gallery, Seoul • 2019: Political Paintings, Sundogs, Paris • 2019: Political Correction, Piece Unique, Cologne • 2018: The Thin Red Line, Sprüth Magers, London • 2018: The Warsaw Pavilion, Wschód, Warsaw • 2017: DONT, Halle 9 Kirowwerk, Leipzig • 2017: Bei mir geht es in den Keller hoch, Blueproject Foundation, Barcelona • 2016: To Lose, Leopold-Hoesch-Museum, Düren (with Michail Pirgelis) • 2015: The F Word, Arken Museum, Copenhagen • 2015: I want to die Forever, Kunstraum Innsbruck • 2014: How To Do Things Left, Rubell Museum, Miami • 2014: Just do it, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin • 2013: F, Artothek, Cologne
Group Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions
• 2023: The Sky is Thin. Drawings, Standard Oslo • 2023: Watercolours, Chapter III, XYZcollective, Tokyo • 2022: Tiere, Catherine Zeta, Cologne • 2021: NOTHINGTOSEENESS, Akademie der Künste, Berlin • 2021: architektura, Fuhrwerkswaage, Cologne • 2020: One Moment Please, Triest, New York • 2020: Who am I - VOL I, Mélange, Cologne • 2020: Il Ghirigoro, Pio Pico, Los Angeles • 2019: Dicke Luft, Galerie Bernhard, Zurich • 2019: Bad Actors, KARST, Plymouth • 2019: RAW, DuMont Kunsthalle, Cologne • 2019: 3 Zimmer, Küche, Bad, Braunsfelder, Cologne • 2018: TRANCE, Aïshti Foundation, Beirut • 2017: Bild des Tages, plət, Amsterdam • 2017: THE ART SHOW – Art of the New Millennium, Museum of Modern Art, Gunma • 2016: Fasi Lunari, Fondazione Carriero, Milan • 2015: Full of Peril and Weirdness: Painting as a Universalism, M Woods Museum, Beijing • 2014: Ordinary Freaks, Halle für Kunst & Medien, Graz • 2014: Beware Wet Paint, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Public collections
The works of David Ostrowski are held, among others, in the following public collections: • Aïshti Collection, Beirut • Arken Museum Collection, Copenhagen • Braunsfelder Family Collection, Cologne • Colección Jumex, Mexico City • Danjuma Collection, London • De la Cruz Collection, Miami • Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin • Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles • Louis Vuitton Collection, Paris • Marciano Art Foundation, Los Angeles • Moderna Museet, Stockholm • Museum of Old and New Art, Berriedale • Olbricht Collection, Berlin • Rubell Museum, Miami • Sammlung Goetz, Munich • Sammlung Scharpff, Bonn • Sammlung Philara, Düsseldorf • Syz Collection, Switzerland • Taguchi Art Collection, Tokyo • Tel Aviv Museum, Tel Aviv • Zabludowicz Collection, London
Awards
• 2012 Studio programme Kölnischer Kunstverein und Imhoff-Stiftung, Cologne, Germany
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article David Ostrowski, revision 1367781282 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Hudson, Suzanne. OPENINGS: DAVID OSTROWSKI. Artforum. 5. 7. March 2013.
- 2.David Ostrowski. Staatliche Kunstakademie Karlsruhe.
- 3.Brimmers, Julian. David Ostrowski on rejecting professionalism. The Creative Independent. 15 March 2018.
- 4.David Ostrowski – Tried and Failed, 3rd November – 22nd December 2012. Daily Art Fair. 2012.
- 5.On rejecting professionalism - An interview with painter David Ostrowski. thecreativeindependent.com.
- 6.Heiser, Jörg: Numerous Sides of Nothing – On David Ostrowski, in: The F Word, ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, 2015. , p. 13
- 7.NOTHINGTOSEENESS – Void/White/Silence. adk.de.
- 8.Studio program of Kölnischer Kunstverein - Kölnischer Kunstverein. Koelnischerkunstverein.de.
- 9.David Ostrowski - The Critic. kunstverein-heilbronn.de.
- 10.Test - The Perimeter. theperimeter.co.uk.
- 11.Aranya Art Center Announces 2025 Exhibition Program. Aranyaartcenter.com.
- 12.David Ostrowski with Andrew Woolbright. Brooklynrail.org.
- 13.David Ostrowski "Leeres Wasser (Anti Drawings)" at Fig., Tokyo. Moussemagazine.it.
- 14.David Ostrowski at Ramiken. Emergentmag.com.
- 15.Ganz plastisch, ganz da. Taz.de.
- 16.David Ostrowski I Angharad Williams at Lady Helen / London. Daily-lazy.com.
- 17.Overtone. Ofluxo.net.
- 18.David Ostrowski at Jir Sandel Copenhagen. Contemporaryartlibrary.org.
- 19.Mee-yoo, Kwon. David Ostrowski rejects perfectionism. The Korea Times. 7 April 2020.
- 20.David Ostrowski "Political Painting" at SUNDOGS, Paris. Moussemagazine.it.
- 21.DAVID OSTROWSKI'S SHOW OF THE BOOK. FADmagazine.com.
- 22.David Ostrowski "THE WARSAW PAVILION" at Wschód, Warsaw. Moussemagazine.it.
- 23.David Ostrowski, Nan Goldin & Galileo Chini, DONT / CONSCIOUS DECADENCE. Techne Sphere Leipzig.
- 24.Blueproject Foundation - David Ostrowski. Blueprojectfoundation.org.
- 25.Museen Düren - Leopold-Hoesch-Museum • Papiermuseum: Materie Malerei. Leopoldhoeschmuseum.de.
- 26.David Ostrowski: The F Word. Arken.dk.
- 27.Kunstraum Innsbruck. Kunstraum-innsbruck.at.
- 28.Rubell Family Collection. Rfc.museum.
- 29.David Ostrowski: Just Do It. Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. Accessed August 2021.
- 30.David Ostrowski: F. Museenkoeln.de.
- 31.THE SKY IS THIN. DRAWINGS. standardoslo.no.
- 32.Watercolours, Chapter III – Curated by Weiss Falk. xyzcollective.jp.
- 33.Tiere. Contemporaryartlibrary.org.
- 34.architektura. kubaparis.com.
- 35.One Moment Please. triest.es.
- 36.Who Am I at Melange / Cologne. Daily-lazy.com.
- 37.With Jef Geys, Ezio Gribaudo, David Ostrowski Andrea Romano, and Trevor Shimizu "Il Ghirigoro" at PIO PICO, Los Angeles. Moussemagazine.it.
- 38.Dicke Luft - An exhibition by Tenzing Barshee. galeriebernhard.com.
- 39.Bad Actors. karst.org.uk.
- 40.RAW - Ausstellungseröffnung in der Kölner DuMont Kunsthalle. kunstforum.de.
- 41.3 Zimmer, Küche, Bad. braunsfelder.com.
- 42.Harten, John (2019). Albert Oehlen - Trance. Milan, Skira Editore
- 43.THE ART SHOW - Art of the New Millennium in Taguchi Art Collection. taguchiartcollection.jp.
- 44.Fasi Lunari at Fondazione Carriero in Milan. juliet-artmagazine.com.
- 45."Full of Peril and Weirdness": Painting as a Universalism. mwoods.org.
- 46.ordinary freaks Das Prinzip Coolness in Popkultur, Theater und Museum. km-k.at.
- 47.Beware Wet Paint. ica.art.
- 48.BRAUNSFELDER / FAMILY COLLECTION. bmw-art-guide.com.
- 49.Museo de la Colección Jumex
- 50.De la Cruz Collection’ Force and Form exhibition
- 51.The Marciano Collection
- 52.Moderna Museet Collection
- 53.Made in Germany: Contemporary Art from the Rubell Family Collection
- 54.Trembley, Nicolas (2019). The Syz Collection. Zurich, JRP Ringier Kunstverlag, p. 21.
- 55.Taguchi Art Collection
- 56.Lilly Wei (30 May 2014). David Ostrowski: interview. Studio International. Accessed January 2018.
- 57.David Ostrowski: From Bad to Worse. ltdlosangeles.com. January 2013.
- 58.David Ostrowski "Emotional Paintings" at Peres Projects, Berlin •Mousse Magazine. Moussemagazine.it.
- 59.David Ostrowski rejects perfectionism. The Korea Times. April 2020.
- 60.Butler, Sharon L. ABSTRACT PAINTING: The New Casualists. brooklynrail.org. June 3, 2011.
- 61.Think Harder-An exchange between DAVID OSTROWSKI and Alex Bacon. brooklynrail.org. June 2014.
- 62.David Ostrowski (It's about something. It's about nothing.). twocoatsofpaint.com.
- 63.David Ostrowski - Interview Magazine. Interviewmagazine.com. 20 November 2013.
- 64.An Interview with David Ostrowski. artuner.com. 2013.
- 65.Michail Pirgelis and David Ostrowski's visual affinities come into focus. Wallpaper.com. 25 November 2016.
- 66.An Interview with David Ostrowski. Artuner.com.
- 67.Portfolio: David Ostrowski (It's about something. It's about nothing.). twocoatsofpaint.com. 1 Feb 2014.
- 68.Bold Gestures of Anti-Painting. Artslant.com.
- 69.David Ostrowski Simon Lee Gallery / London. Flashartonline.com. 10 March 2014.
- 70.Bold Gestures of Anti-Painting - ArtSlant. ArtSlant.
- 71.David Ostrowski: interview, Studio International. Studiointernational.com.
- 72.Special Commission for 032c by David Ostrowski. 032c.com. 18 June 2014.
- 73.David Ostrowski – Art in America. Artinamericamagazine.com.
- 74.Formal Affairs - Frieze.com. Frieze.com. 20 Feb 2015.
- 75.Review: David Ostrowski's 'Emotional Paintings' at Peres Projects. Apollo-magazine.com. 15 May 2014.
- 76.On rejecting professionalism - An interview with painter David Ostrowski. thecreativeindependent.com. 15 March 2018.
- 77.German painter Ostrowski's nihilistic series lands in S. Korea for 1st solo show. en.yna.co.kr. 3 Apr 2020.
- 78.David Ostrowski: Yes or Let's Say No. artreview.com. 28 Nov 2013.
- 79.Sprechen sie dick. Kunstaspekte.art.
- 80.David Ostrowski – The thin red line. Artnet.
- 81.David Ostrowski. kostyal.com.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 21
- Leeres Wasser (Anti Drawings), Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2023.
- Concerned with things as their own composition, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2023.
- Chuzpe, Weinspach, Cologne, 2021
- So kalt kann es nicht sein / It can’t be that cold, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2021.
- Poglos / Overtone (with Tobias Spichtig), Avant-Garde Institute, Warsaw, 2021
- Time & Life (with Magnus Frederik Clausen), Jir Sandel, Copenhagen, 2021.
- Menschen, Bilder, Emotionen, Leeahn Gallery / Sprüth Magers, Seoul, 2020.
- 3 Zimmer, Küche, Bad (with Andreas Schulze, Sophie von Hellermann), Braunsfelder, Cologne, 2019.
- I strongly object, Weinspach, Cologne, 2019.
- The thin red line, Mousse Publishing, London, 2018.
- DON’T/Conscious Decadence (with Nan Goldin & Galileo Chini), Halle 9 Kirowwerk, Leipzig, 2018
- Nothing Happened / To Lose (with Michail Pirgelis), Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2018.
- I want to die Forever, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, 2018.
- The F Word, ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, 2015.
- How to do things left, Rubell Family Collection, Miami, 2014.
- Even the most beautiful woman ends at her feet, Meurer Verlag, Cologne, 2013.
- F Paintings, Peres Projects, Berlin, 2013.
- Dann lieber nein, Figge von Rosen Galerie, Cologne, 2012
- Ostrowski, David / Randt, Leif: Shake Your Tree, Nr. 4, Berlin, 2012
- Die Lügnerin (with Philip Seibel), FORMAT:C, Düsseldorf, 2011
- Hulk vs. Hulk (with David Fintrop), Acapulco, Düsseldorf, 2007
References
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Studied at
1- Kunstakademie DüsseldorfOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
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