Konrad Klapheck

Konrad Klapheck was a German painter and printmaker born in Düsseldorf in 1935, where he also passed away in 2023. Son of art historians, he began his studies at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 1954, developing an early interest in figurative painting and surrealism. In 1955, he started painting machines and everyday objects, such as typewriters, transforming them into surreal and hyperreal monuments that challenge common perception. His first solo exhibition took place in 1959 in Düsseldorf, followed by international shows in Milan and Paris, where he connected with the surrealist circle and received praise from André Breton.

Throughout his career, Klapheck participated in major exhibitions of extreme realism and hyperrealism in Europe, and in 1976 he was appointed professor of painting at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. In the 1990s, he expanded his repertoire to include full-figure portraits and nude drawings, gradually moving away from his mechanical subjects. His work is characterized by a blend of surrealism, pop art, and hyperrealism, while maintaining strong artistic autonomy. Klapheck also gave international lectures, including in Beijing, and continued to innovate painting and graphic techniques until the final years of his life.