Timo Herbst’s interdisciplinary practice takes movements or choreographies from the artistic, everyday and political spheres as the starting point for multimedia installations that include drawing, video and sculpture. His focus is usually on the process of creating a gesture or form. This ranges from the transformation of places or architecture; movements such as the creation process of a dance choreography; and the physical expression of dissent or gestures in public. In his works he often combines formal visual effects with socially relevant aspects of content, as his interest in the emergence of significant images of collective action and collective memory is linked to the penetration of the mechanisms of gestural and physical forms of expression and their means of representation.
Timo Herbst received his diploma with distinction at the Hochschule für Künste in Bremen and the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig plus Meisterschüler. His works are shown internationally in museums and galleries. Recent exhibitions include: Solo Goethe Institut Paris (France) 2026, Museum MdbK Leipzig (Germany) 2025, Parc de La Villette Paris (France), Solo Ken Nakahashi Tokyo (Japan) 2024, Fondation Fiminco Paris/Romainville (France), Solo Kunsthalle Göppingen (Germany), AVA Gallery Cape Town (South Africa) 2023, Zentrum für aktuelle Kunst Berlin 2022 (Germany), Kunstzeughaus Rapperswil 2021 (Switzerland), Museum Grassi Leipzig 2020, Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Solo artothek – Museums Cologne 2019 (Germany) and more. Among others, he was a fellow of the Goethe Institute Villa Kamogawa Kyoto (Japan), Künstlerhaus Munich, Cité Internationales des Arts Paris, Fiminco Foundation Paris/Romainville, Kunstfonds Bonn and Akademie der Künste Berlin. In 2016-2018 he was a fellow in the interdisciplinary Research Project “Arts and Science in Motion” of the Volkswagen Foundation through FU Berlin and HBK Braunschweig. In 2024 he was a resident of the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb (Croatia) for preparing shows and his permanent public sculpture installed in front of the museum MSU in 2025.
Exhibitions (selection)
2026
“Exquisite Body”, Goethe Institute Paris (solo) (France)
“On Paper”, Longtermhandstand Budapest (Hungary)
“The Libraray”, WHATZ Art Fair Taipeh with Tamtamart (Taiwan)
“Aus den Koffer +”, travelling project, e.g Galerie Vincent Szala Berlin, Kunsthochschule Weissensee Berlin, Kai10 Arthena Foundation Düsseldorf…
“Haunt Saison”, Haunt Berlin (Germany)
“Gelb”, Galerie Eigenheim Weimar (Germany)
2025
“Autogestion-Common Places” Museum of contemporary art MSU Zagreb (permanent public sculpture) (Croatia)
“Autogestion-Common Places” Cekao Gallery Open University Zagreb in collab with MSU Zagreb (Croatia) (solo)
“Screen Time”, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig (Germany)
“Aux Folies”, Nina Mielcarczyk Leipzig (Germany) (solo)
“Vaste de mille-et-mille maille – CoLaboratory”, HAUNT Berlin (Germany)
“Zwischen Erbe und Wandel”, Silberschmelzhütte St. Georgen with Galerie Eigenheim, part of Kulturhauptstadt Chemnitz (Germany)
“Third space, HAUNT Berlin (Germany)
“Anonyme Zeichner”, Kunstraum Bethanien (Germany)
2024
“Ephemera”, Gallery Ken Nakahashi, Tokyo (Japan) (solo)
“Attempt of exhausting a place”, Neuer Kunstverein Gießen (Germany) (solo)
“One of all”, SalonH, Paris (France)
“Edition Artais”, Galerie Dix9 with Assosiation Artais, Paris (France)
“Different Persons”, ENA and VUNU Gallery Collection Kunsthalle Košice (Slovakia)
“One of all”, intervention in collection, Museum of contemporary art MSU Zagreb (Croatia)
“Unobservable Dreams”, YARAT Contemporary Art Center Baku (Azerbaidjan)
“Vaste de mille-et-mille maille”, Odradek Brussels (Belgien)
“After the dust settles”, Echo contemporary art, Atlanta (USA)
“Editions-Ausstellung”, Neuer Kunstverein Gießen, (Germany)
“Die Kunst ist eine Tochter der Freiheit”, Galerie Eigenheim Weimar (Germany)
“Two Years Ten Meters”, Cité des arts Paris Marais (France)
2023
“Play by rules”, Kunsthalle Göppingen (solo with growing exhibition concept)
“Odysées Urbaines”, Fondation Fiminco Paris (France)
“100% éxterieure”, La Vilette Paris (France)
“The invisible thread”, Ava Gallery Cape Town (South Africa)
“Display”, Billboard Galerie Jochen Hempel, Baumwollspinnerei Leipzig (Germany)
“Tenderpoints”, Haunt Berlin (Germany)
“Friends with Benefits”, Mars Frankfurt (Germany)
2022
“Rhythmanalysis”, Vitrine Cité des arts Paris Marais (France) (solo)
“Play by rules”, LOAF Kyoto (Japan) (solo)
„Über die Zeichnung hinaus“, Zentrum für aktuelle Kunst, Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin (Germany)
„Climanosco – Dear 2050”, Kammgarn West, Schaffhausen (Switzerland)
„Territory“, L’église du vieux Saint-Sauveur Caen (France)
„Anonyme Zeichner“, Galerie im Körnerpark Berlin (Germany)
“Minibar ll”, Galerie Oelfrüh Hamburg (Germany)
“Bitterer Frühling”, Galerie Eigenheim Berlin (Germany)
„Don ́t know why“, Ortloff Leipzig (Germany)
2021
“Strong Feelings”, HAUNT Berlin (solo)
„Streetlight“, RomanSusan, Chicago (USA)
“20.000”, Cité Internationale des Art Montmatre Paris (France)
„unknowing now“, Villa Waldberta – Künstlerhaus Stadt München/Feldafing
„CLIMANOSCO“, Kunst(zeug)haus Rapperswil/Zürich (Switzerland)
„Verbindungsstücke – Konektaa“, Villa Kamogawa Kyoto (Japan)
„CHARTA #1“, HAUNT Berlin
2020
“Szenen des Lebens”, Grassi Museum Leipzig
“Where the trees have numbers”, HAUNT Berlin
“False Ground Carrier” Ideal Artspace Leipzig
“Exceptions from all directions”, Galerie Eigenheim Berlin Salon (solo)
2019
“Rhythms”, artothek, Raum für Junge Kunst, museums Cologne (solo)
“Bühne Total”, Bauhaus Museum Dessau
“Sense of Humor”, 21_21 Design Sight, Tokyo (Japan)
“Understanding Art & Reaearch”, MAK Wien (Austria) (with EGMP)
2018
“G20” Kunstverein Leipzig
“Blackdance”, Zentrum für aktuelle Kunst Berlin (Duo with Peter Hock)
“Optical Flow”, Junges Museum Bottrop (solo)
“Throwing Gestures”; Kunstquartier Bethanien Studio 1, Berlin
“Behausung” Künstlerforum Bonn
2017
“Win/Win”, Neuzugänge Sammlung Konstfond Dresden, Halle 14, Bauwollspinnerei Leipzig
“Dimensional Sights”, Kunstverein Neustadt/Weinstraße, Villa Böhm
“Text Tour”, Künstlerforum Bonn, Bonn & AQB Budapest (Hungary)
“Hansdlungsanweisungen in der Kunst”, Galerie Eigenheim, Berlin
2016
“Terra Mediterranea: in action” Halle 14, Leipzig
“Temple/material, Oubai-in-Tempel, Goethe Institut, Kyoto (Japan)
“HUMAN with/out SPACE, A.P.A. Atelier Pro Arts Art Center, Budapest (Hungary)
„Dimensional Sights“, Kunstverein Jena
“How does it feel”, Artim of Yarat Contemporary Art Center, Baku (Azerbaidschan)
2015
“Move What Moves You“, ENA Viewing Space, Budapest (Hungary) (solo)
“Werkschau 2015“, Werkschauhalle Baumwollspinnerei, Leipzig
“Leipzig malt“, Wiensowski & Habord, Berlin
“The Gardens“, Representation of Saxony/Stellvertretung Sachsens, Berlin
2014
“Imaginäres Museum”, Ägyptisches Museum Georg Steindorff, Leipzig
“4 Rooms“,Künstlerhaus im Schlossgarten, Cuxhaven
2013
“Slapstick Night”, Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Wolfsburg
“Watching a cat watching a mouse hole”, Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz, Berlin
“Wrumm Wruumm”, Diploma exhibition, Academy for Visual Arts, Leipzig
2012
“Natur 3D”, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig
“Landscape in Transformation”, Passerelle-centre d ́art, Brest (France)
2011
“You are leaving te area of responsibility”, Begehungen Chemnitz,Gefängnis Kaßberg
2010
“Offener Raum“, Haus der Kunst, München
Residencies / Grants / Projects / Funding (Selection)
2025 Research Fellowship Berlin Senate for Paris
2025 Commission permanent public sculpture Museum of Contemporary Art MSU Zagreb
2024 Project Residency at Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb (MSU) (Croatia)
2024 Culture Moves Europe for Croatia
2023 Kunstfonds Bonn Neustart
2022/23 Residency Fiminico Foundation
2022 Funding Institut for Foreign Relations (IFA) for exhibition “Play by rules” LOAF Kyoto
2022 Artist in Residence Paradise Air Matsudo (Japan)
2022 Cité internationale des Arts Paris, supported by the german commissioner for culture and media
2021 Initial Akademie der Künste Berlin
2021 Residency Künstlerhaus Müchen Villa Waldberta (with historian Duane Corpis)
2020 Nominee “Kunst am Bau” Frauenhofer Institut Dresden
2019 Artist in Residence Paradise Air Matsudo (Japan)
2018 working grant Arts Council of the Federal State of Saxony
2017-2018 “Entanglement between Gesture, mediea & politics (EGMP)”, HFBK Braunschweig & Volkswagen Foundation
2016 Residency / Grant Goethe-Institut- Villa Kamogawa Kyoto (Japan)
2016 Residency Yarat Contemporary Art Center Baku (Azerbaidjan)
2016-17 “Motion together”, Free Univerity Berlin by Volkswagen Foundation
2014/15 Artist Quarter Budapest (Hungary)
2014 Künstlerhaus im Schlossgarten Cuxhaven
2010 Shortlist Dr. Herbert Zapp Preis for Contemporary Drawing – Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin
Publications (selection)
“Play by rules”, Kunsthalle Göppingen 2023
“100%”, Park de La Villette 2023
“Verbindungsstücke”, Wasmuth & Zohlen, 2022
“Über die Zeichnung hinaus”, Zentrum für aktuelle Kunst, 2022
“Teilen und Lernen, G20”, online Publication des DFG-Graduiertenkollegs “Das Wissen der Künste”, 2021: LINK
“Throwing Gestures”, Verlag für Moderne Kunst 2021
“papeleo”, Cuardernos Drawing Room Madrid, 2021
“Szenen des Lebens” Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 2020
“.18.19”, artothek, Raum für junge Kunst, Museen Köln, 2020
“Bühne Total”, Bauhaus Dessau, 2020
“Text 17”, Zeitschrift und Verlag Berlin, Editor Andreas van Düren, 2019
“Dimensional Sights”, Kunstverein Jena und Kunstverein Neustadt/Weinstraße, 2017
“Imaginary Museum”, Egyptian Museum Georg Steindorff Leipzig, 2014
“Natur 3D”, Museum for Visual Art Leipzig, 2013
“You are leaving the area of responsibility”, Begehungen Chemnitz Nr.8”, 2011
“Große Kunstausstellung”, Haus der Kunst Munich, 2010
“Study-price 2010“, Academy for Visual Arts Leipzig, Leipzig, 2010
lectures /workshops/ talks
2026 Talk with Emil Sennewald, Zohreh Deldadeh & Majd Boukthir, Goethe Institut Paris
2026 Conference on audiovisual archives and experimental drawing projects, Universidad Complutense Madrid
2026 lecture University of Arts and Design / Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe
since 2025 regularly teaching at universities PCA Paris College of Art and ECV École de Création Visuelle Paris
2025 “Fragments of Solidarity”, interdisciplinary talk with Rebecca Pokua Korang, Lilian Mauthofer, Jannis Julien Grimm;
Interact-Center for interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Reserach FU Berlin at Haunt Berlin (Germany)
2024 Lecture Musashino Art University Tokyo (Japan)
2024 Lecture Museum of contemporary Art MSU Zagreb (Croatia)
2023 Lecture for State Academy Stuttgart at Fiminco Foundation (Germany/France)
2023 Lecture/workshop Bauhaus Uni Weimar (Germany)
2023 Talk with Hacene Zemrani and Taqi Spateen, Fiminco Foundation Paris (France)
2022 Lecture Musashino Art University Tokyo (with Marcus Nebe) (Japan)
2020 Talk with Barbara John, Grassi Museum Leipzig (Germany)
2019 Workshop with Prof. Irina Kaldrack. “teilen/lernen: Methoden des Kollektiven in Kunst, Wissenschaft, Aktivismus”
DFG-Graduiertenkolleg „Das Wissen der Künste“ UdK Berlin at District Berlin (Germany)
2019 Workshop collaborator with Torsten Blume at Akademie der Künste Berlin, Goethe Institut /Kuwasawa Design School Tokyo (Japan) and New York University Shanghai (China)
2018 Lecture “Entanglement between gestures, media and politics”, Kunstquartier Bethanien Berlin (Germany)
2018 Talk and presentation “politics of gestures”, Schmiede Hallein (Austria)
2018 Lecture Volkswagenstiftung with Motion Together and EGMP, Caputh (Germany)
2017 Workshop with Prof. Irina Kaldrack “gesture, media, politics” HBK Braunschweig (Germany)
2017 Talk and presentation 360°Dome TU Braunschweig (Germany)
2017 Lecture presentation “Affective Transformations:, Politics – Algorithms – Media”, University Potsdam (Germany)
2017 Talk Kunstverein KV Leipzig (Germany)
2016 “Shifting Memories”, Lecture Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät, University Cologne (Germany)
2016 Talk Creators at Kamogawa, Januar & April, Kyoto (Japan)
2014 Lecture Volkswagenstiftung, Visselhoevede (Germany)
public collections
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Kunstfonds – (videoinstallation: Play by rules)
Kunsthale Göppingen – (3D-prints)
artothek, Museen Köln – (drawings)
Museum of contemporary Art MSU Zagreb – (permanent public sculpture and 300 x 450 monoprint “Autogestion-Common Places”)
Staatskanzlei Thüringen – (edition)
Archiv der Moderne, Bauhaus Universität Weimar – (edition)
Yarat Contemporaray Art Center Baku (Azerbaidschan) – (video: Baku /Baki-Anadili)
Bauhaus Museum Dessau – (Posteredition with Katsumi Asaba)
Press (Selection)
Kunstforum
https://www.kunstforum.de/nachrichten/goethe-institut-paris-timo-herbst-exquisite-body/
Der Theaterverlag/ Tanz International
https://www.der-theaterverlag.de/tanz-international/magazine/tanz-international-edition-0426/in-motion-timo-herbst-exhibition-exquisite-body/
MDR – ARD Mediathek Screen Time, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig 2025
LVZ Screen Time, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig 2025:
https://www.lvz.de/kultur/regional/leipziger-ausstellung-screen-time-zeigt-im-mdbk-videokunst-1990-AI7GIQ4TIJE43NOPH37OW7IAN4.html?outputType=valid_amp
https://www.lvz.de/kultur/regional/bilder-der-ausstellung-screen-time-videokunst-in-leipzig-seit-1990-LEPEC5T7VFEBJCNKEOMNWQEBVA.html
Gießener Allgemeine Solo Kunstverein Gießen 2024
https://www.giessener-allgemeine.de/giessen/strassenkreuzungen-und-kunst-92880329.html
Anonyme Zeichner – Tagesspiegel 2024
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/wurden-sie-dafur-250-euro-ausgeben-zeichnungen-auf-klopapier–aber-sie-konnten-sehr-viel-wert-sein-12719054.html
Artais Art Contempoarin 2023 (France):
http://artais-artcontemporain.org/artais_journal/artais_journal-31_web.pdf
Wowart: Timo Herbst on Transforming Gestures into Art
https://wowwart.com/timo-herbst-on-transforming-gestures-into-art/
Kuba Paris 2022/23:
https://kubaparis.com/submission/364093
https://kubaparis.com/submission/338015
bijutsutecho.com (Japan) 2022:
https://bijutsutecho.com/exhibitions/10612
Lerchenfeld 49 2019: “Interdiszipliere dich!” von Anna-Lena Wenzel:
https://www.hfbk-hamburg.de/documents/670/Le_49_compressed.pdf
Der Tagesspiegel 2018: “Blackdance at ZAK Berlin”:
https://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/wo-steine-ins-universum-entschweben-3982882.html
„Move What Moves You“ | Budapester Zeitung 2015 (Hungary)
http://www.budapester-archiv.
Guardian 2013: “Cairo curfew all night parties” (Great Britain)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/06/cairo-curfew-all-night-parties
Huffington Post 2013 (Italy): “Bahaa Talis, perfomance live artista egiziano”,
https://www.huffingtonpost.it/esteri/2013/09/16/news/bahaa_talis_camminare_al_cairo_durante_il_coprifuoco_la_performance_di_art_live_dell_artista_egiziano-6990365/
Education
Academy for Visual Arts Leipzig, Student of Honour (Meisterschüler) Prof. Astrid Klein
Guest University of the Arts Berlin, Prof. Hito Steyerl
Academy for Visual Arts Leipzig, Leipzig, Prof. Astrid Klein – Diploma with distinction
University of Arts Bremen, Prof. Paco Knöller
University Bremen, Philosophy & Culturtal Studies
Contact
Timo Herbst
3.jahreszeit@googlemail.com
for more info please visit:
https://vimeo.com/timoherbst
http://gesture-media-politics.eu