Peter Zimmermann, born in 1956 in Freiburg, has lived and worked in Cologne for over thirty years. In an art world marked by constant change, his career stands out for its remarkable continuity. After studying at the Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts under Paul Uwe Dreyer, Zimmermann settled in the vibrant Rhineland art scene of the mid-1980s. Rather than aligning himself with the expressive “Wilde Malerei” movement, he carved out his own path and found a home in emerging galleries such as those of Christian Nagel, Esther Schipper, and Tanja Grunert—spaces that experimented with alternative exhibition formats, networked structures, and new definitions of art.
Zimmermann first gained attention with large-scale paintings of book covers, created using pigment and epoxy resin on canvas. His source material - school atlases, art books, and travel guides - was familiar and banal, yet gained layered meaning through artistic transformation. These works reflected on the processes of knowledge transfer, mass production, and the viewer’s way of seeing. This series positioned him within the broader discourse on art, presentation, and perception. He later expanded into installations, such as his acclaimed contribution to the 1993 Venice Biennale, where cardboard boxes and display structures carried texts and meanings. Through these, Zimmermann explored the relationship between image, language, and the viewer—how communication and interpretation operate within and beyond the art world.
His 1998 exhibition “Eigentlich könnte alles auch anders sein” (“Actually, Everything Could Be Different”) at the Kölnischer Kunstverein marked a turning point. Zimmermann stepped back from directly producing all his work and instead delegated tasks, collaborating with professionals from various disciplines. The accompanying publication, a weighty philosophical volume on contingency, replaced the traditional exhibition catalog. Despite international recognition, local reception remained limited, prompting him to return more fully to painting—now incorporating digital tools like Photoshop and, later, mobile image-editing apps. Still, he maintained a hands-on process: digitally altered images were meticulously transferred to canvas by hand using brush and resin.
His work balances digital precision with handcrafted craftsmanship. Though abstract, his paintings evoke screens, interfaces, and the visual culture of the internet age. Some even seem to paint themselves, with layered, flowing forms that suggest a kind of motion or depth. In these later works, the focus is not only on the image itself, but also on its creation, presentation, and interaction with the viewer.
Zimmermann’s career is deeply rooted in reflection on the changing role of the artist, the influence of technology, and the aesthetics of communication. His art is visually seductive yet conceptually rich and socially engaged. Despite changing media and styles, he consistently explores fundamental questions of authorship, representation, and the relationship between humans, images, and systems. This critical perspective - combined with his striking visual language - makes Peter Zimmermann a unique and influential voice in contemporary art.