Peter Opheim

Peter Opheim is American-based artist, who was born in Germany. He is currently working in New York. He studied Oriental studies and Economics at St. Olaf College, dreaming about becoming an artist. Opheim began his way in the art sphere as an abstractionist, but later he moved away from this direction. He wanted to create something unique, unusual and provocative - and so a series of works depicting the incredible clay figures was born.

He creates a new fantasy world, populated by characters who never exist in reality. However, his paintings have a real referent: colorful clay figurines, manufactured by the artist. He paint either their portraits or still life. Cute little animals of irregular shape refer to the world of childhood, which is the main object of artistic reflection. Childish fears rooted in deformed body parts, in unnatural colors, like an archetypal fear hides behind the innocence of the plot in fairy tales.

Peter held a number of personal national and international exhibitions and received a grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Several of his artworks are in the collections of new York and South Korean museums; others have become the property of private collections such as Hallmark collections, Northwest Airlines, and the Venetian Hotel collection in Las Vegas.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018

• Ben and Steve, Askeri Gallery, Moscow, Russia

• Fables of the One Hundred Mountains, Powen Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2017

• Wunderkammer, Rood Gallery, Brooklyn, New York

• Peter Opheim and Poren Huang, Powen Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
  

 2016 

• Fables of the Eleven Rooms and Six Houses, Zevitas Marcus, Los Angeles, California

2014

• The Place on the Other Side of Air, Now Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida 

2012 

• LAND, Boltax Gallery, Shelter Island, New York

• FOREST, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

2011

• HERE, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

• Peter Opheim | New Paintings, VOLTA NY, Steven Zevitas Gallery, New York, New York

2009

• Saranwrap Up My Little Life, Donna Leatherman Fine Art, New York, New York

• Big Pie Modern Architecture, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2015 

• The Guston Effect, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

• Valentine’s Cardiovascular, Geoffrey Young Gallery, Great Barrington, Massachusetts

2014 

• Pumpkin Pie, Daniel Rolnik Gallery, Los Angeles, California

2013 

• Group Exhibition, Miami Project, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Miami, Florida

• By The Seat of Our Pants, Boltax Gallery, Shelter Island, New York

• Why am I so Awkward, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

• Group Exhibition, ArtMRKT Hamptons, Boltax Gallery, Brigehampton, New York

•  Pink, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

• Group Exhibition, ArtMRKT San Francisco, Steven Zevitas Gallery, San Francisco, California

• Childs Play, Sarasota Art Center, Sarasota, Florida

• Group Exhibition, New Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida

• What Can I do for My Salvation, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

2012

• Group Exhibition, Miami Project, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Miami, Florida

• Art Platform Los Angeles, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Los Angeles, California

• Gallery Artists and Collection, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

• Group Exhibition, Art Pad San Francisco, Steven Zevitas Gallery, San Francisco, California

• Group Exhibition, ArtMRKT San Francisco, Boltax Gallery, San Francisco, California

• At HoMe: Living with Art and Design, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

2011 

• I am who I am; The Portrait Reconsidered, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts

• Group Exhibition, NEXT Art Fair, Steven Zevitas Gallery, Chicago, Illinois

• Group Exhibition, Seoul Open Art Fair, Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

• Inaugural Exhibition, Columns Gallery, Seoul, Korea

• Given a Miniscule Ledge, Norwood, Curated by Liz Parks, New York, New York

• Group Exhibition, Korea International Art Fair, Columns Gallery, Seoul

2010 

• A Private Exhibition: Works by Le Corbusier, Nall, Pablo Picasso, Peter Opheim, Donna Leatherman Fine Art,New York, New York

• Size Sensitive, Gallery Jones, Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada

2009 

• Outside In, Wassaic Project, Maxon Mills Art Center, Wassaic, New York

2008 

• In Focus, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington

• Selections: Modern and Contemporary Abstractions, The Hardwood Museum of Art, Taos, New Mexico

AWARDS

 The Pollock/Krasner Foundation Grant, New York, New York, October, 1995

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

·       

• First National Bank, San Antonio, Texas

• Hallmark, Kansas City, Missouri

• Harwood Museum of Art, Taos, New Mexico

• Magnolia Hotel, Houston, Texas

• Northwest Airlines, Memphis, Tennessee

• The Progressive Art Collection, Cleveland, Ohio

• The Purme Foundation, Seoul, Korea

• Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada