Helmut G. Tollmann born 1945 in Cologne, is a German artist, working now for about 50 years as a photographer, painter, performance and last but not least large screen multi-vision artist.
He finished the training as a graphics designer in 1964. Subsequently he studied graphics and design at the Kölner Werkschulen until 1968. Even in this time he started his career as a professional free artist.
1. beginnings: Photography, multi-vision and painting 1965- 1969
During these early years, Helmut Tollmann was experiencing a lot of photographical techniques and chemical procedures. He had won in these early times more than 25 national and international awards, that can be proved by press and certificates. The historic material of these years is not even regrounded. But as you can see, the most of all the procedures Helmut Tollmann is using until today in his artistic work, posterisation, lithographic films and developers, solarisation and reprographic use of photographic techniques can be found in his works until now, especially in his multi-layer-technique.
2. new ways and techniques 1970-1974
Beginning in the early seventies Helmut Tollmann was principally involved in paintings of architecture and landscapes, deeply impressed by the work of Max Ernst. The proximity of Helmut Tollmann’s early paintings to Max Ernst is no coincidence. Max Ernst invented a lot of procedures and techniques in modern painting (the frottage, for example) and so did Helmut Tollmann. Always looking for new media and procedures useful for artistic utilization. In this period he painted his so-called “soft landscapes”. They look like silk paintings. Helmut Tollmann’s artistic expression based on the study of Max Ernst. And so did the architectural paintings too.
3. Bringing painting, reprography and printing technique together 1974-1985
In these days Helmut Tollmann and a lot his friends (for example Andy Warhol) and colleagues were using reprographic and photographic techniques, especially in Pop-Art. But Helmut Tollmann tried something one can estimate maybe not before today. He brought the squeegee from silk screen printing into painting years before others. In these paintings you can also find elements of technical and electronic processes, which go together more and more with his art the coming years.
4. Technology and the soul in world and mankind – “Soul of Chip” 1985-1997
The painting media were changing more and more. Using new colors and the canvas of his work is changing to copper plates, printed circuit boards and so on. All corresponding to the main theme in Helmut Tollmann’s works of that time “soul of chip”, a registered trade mark of Helmut Tollmann until today. How does the world of information and the men in it rock? Portraits of local, national and international status such as Trude Herr a local hero of Cologne theater or Albert Einstein join in Helmut Tollmann’s artistic work of these days. Multimedia, illumination and information technology mixed in multi-layer artwork.
5. Links – the connecting aspect between technology and mankind 1998-2007
In this shift of emphasis from searching for the “soul of chip” to the use of media the new theme in Helmut Tollmann’s work was showing up: Links. The chance to join apparently disparate projects like: Wirkbetrieb 1, a projects of T-Systems and “Together” a project of the initiative tolerance under the patronage of Joschka Fischer former minister of foreign affairs. In this time new portraits of people from the music history (Beethoven-Superstar, Wagner, Berlioz…) and the social, political and economical life were painted.
6. Cosmic elements and cosmic prayer- 2008-today
Helmut Tollmann is reprocessing the globalized world in its elements. multiple layers in the projection on and in buildings or on a water shield. As in the very beginning Helmut Tollmann is returning to the combination of exhibition and multimedia show. The light as a painting tool used by “the master of color” as the gallery owner, art dealer and artist Markus Roubrocks once said. With extremely high powered projectors Helmut Tollmann showed just one long time running artwork, that surrounded the people in the church of the lords heart at Singen/Bodensee und two years later on the Hegau-Tower. In Lyon a single artworks showed by Helmut Tollmann on all the six-story-buildings enclosing the main market place. His paintings as layer of light in the real world.
1992
"Soul of Chip", Hannover (CeBIT Trade Fair, 1+1)„Soul of Chip“, Lekkerland, Cassel, GermanyHelmut Tollmann Paintings, Koltermann, Nuremberg, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Munich, GermanyMulti-visions-show „100 Years Muses of Cologne“, Theater am Dom, Cologne, Germany1993
„Soul of Chip“, CeBIT Trade Fair, Daimler Benz Inter Services (Debis), Hannover, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Dresdner Bank, Cologne, Germany„Soul of Chip“ Letz, Nuremberg-AltdorfHemut Tollmann Paintings / „Soul of Chip“, Art Agency, Naila, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Lisse Gallery, Heinsberg, Germany1994
Exhibition "Soul of Chip", Cebit Trade Fair, 1000 sqaremeters, debis; Hannover, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Lisse Gallery, HeinsbergGerman Railways (Deutsche Bahn), Cologne Porz, GermanyHelmut Tollmann Paintings, Orgatec Trade Fair, Cologne, Germanyart exhibition halls, Rhenania, Cologne, GermanyBorland, Debis, Microsoft, Frankfurt Kronberg, GermanyHelmut Tollmann "Soul of Chip", Castle Solingen-Burg, Germany1995
CeBIT Trade Fair, Hannover, Germany„Hot Ware“ Exhibition software piracy, Microsoft art prize, Hannover, GermanyBorland, Debis, Microsoft, Frankfurt Kronberg, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Madaus, Cologne Merheim, GermanyArtist festival, Cologne Bickendorf, Germany1996
Helmut Tollmann, Works on paper, Gallery at the Market Place, Cologne-Porz, Germany„Soul of Chip“ Acer, Orbit, Trade Fair, Basel1997
Rhine gallery, Düsseldorf Oberkassel, Germany„Links“, Ensen-Westhoven, Germany„Links“, Köln, Haus Neuerburg, GermanyVilla Hammerschmidt, Exhibition, Bonn, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Gallery at the Market Place, Ensen-Westhoven, Germany„winks“, Optica Trade Fair1997, Cologne1998
„Soul of Chip“, CeBIT Trade Fair, Acer, Hannover, GermanyExhibition „Soul of Chip“, Serbian-Orthodox Eparchy of Raska and Prizren in Novi Pazar, SerbiaThe eye of Trude Herr, Theater Severin Street, Cologne and TV documentation The eye of Trude Herr, WDR„Schwingungen“, Bühne Westhoven, Cologne, GermanyPaintings, Gallery at the Market Place, Cologne, Germany„Links“, Duisburg, Germany„Together“ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bonn, Germany, host Initiative Tolerance, patronage Joschka Fischer, Minister of Foreign AffairsGallery at the Market Place, „Together“, Cologne, Germany1999
US-Renaissance (VDL-Congress), Düsseldorf, Germany75th anniversary Trade Fair Cologne11. Art Market, Monastery Brauweiler, GermanyArt Prize Certificate, WestArt Gotha art forum, Altenburger Wall, Cologne, GermanyArt Exhibition Helmut Tollmann, Paintings, Railway Station, Oberkassel, GermanyExhibition at German Aerospace Center (DLR), GermanySoul of Chip, Productronica Trade Fair, Munich, Germany„art at the monastery“, Pützchen, Bonn, Germany2000
12. Art Market, Monastery Brauweiler, GermanySoul of Chip, Electronica Trade Fair, Munich, Germany„Soul of Chip“, Cologne2001
City-Hall-Gallery, Köln-Porz, GermanySoul of Chip, Productronica Trade Fair, Munich, Germany2002
„Links“, Cologne, Germany„Links“, Bredershof, Niederdollendorf, Germany„See the world“ EPC 2002, Cologne, GermanyArt-Event, Fair Munich2003
Federal-Press-Club Bonn, „Beethoven Superstar“, Bonn, GermanyArt-Mile, Heinsberg, Germany„Soul of Chip – Ludwig van Beethoven Superstar“, Cultuur Centrum Bornem, Belgium„Soul of Chip“, Antwerpen, BelgiumKunstverein (art society) Aurich, Art-Pavilion Ellernfeld, Aurich, Germany2004
First international laureate art competition Marina di Ravenna patronage Ministry of cultural assets, art festival, Ravenna, Italy"Links", EPC 2004 Trade Fair, Cologne Germany„Wirkbetrieb 1", T-Systems / Toll Collect, Mülheim an der Ruhr, GermanyExhibition 25th anniversary VFBK, Cologne GermanyVisual Gallery at photokina, who is who- Authentic – united we stand, Cologne2005
Exhibition of the participants of Marina di Ravenna art competition 2004 incl. auction of the winner artworks, „Villa Beaumarchais“ Quartier Marais, Institute of Italian Culture in France, Parisart competition, Marina di Ravenna 2005, patronage Ministry of cultural assets, art festival, Ravenna, Italy2006
Gallery Roubrocks & Partner, Villa Oppenheim, CologneKreishaus-Gallery Roubrocks & Partner, CologneMuseum "Zündorfer Wehrturm", Kunstverein (art society) Porz, CologneGymnich Castle, Roubrocks & Partner, Germany2007
art project „Extrahart“, Roubrocks & Partner, CologneSoul of Chip, Productronica, Munich2008
Multi-Media Event „Cosmic Prayer“, Music by James Horner, Heart of Jesus Church, Museums Night Singen, Germany (Production: Ralph Tepel)Art at the Market Place, Cologne-PorzHelmut Tollmann, „Soul of Chip“, Merck Finck & Co, Castle, Koblenz2009
"Art before and after the millennium – Paintings, Drawings, Photographs and Print-Graphics of Gerhard Elsner, Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter and Helmut Tollmann", Hegau Bodensee Gallery, Singen, Germany.GULF PROJECTS 2010
„Soul of Chip“, Hegau Bodensee Gallery, Singen„Cosmic Elements“, HEGAU Tower, Museums Night Hegau Bodensee, Germany (Production: Ralph Tepel)25 Anniversary Kornelius-Gallery Hanczak, Kornelimünster, GermanyGULF PROJECTS2012
Bedburg Castle, „Glowing Soul“, Audio-visual Installation feat. Ákos Sziráki, Bedburg GermanyPaintings, Dominick Brock Haus, Westhoven, Germany2013
Brauweiler Monastery „25. Art Days Rhine-Erft“, Brauweiler, Germany“Cosmic Elements” Audio-visual Installation feat. Ákos Sziráki2014
Art Project „Chinese Whispers“ Gallery Glashaus, Bedburg, GermanyAwards and art prizes (selection)
Award Federal President Walter ScheelArt Prize Certificate, WestArt Gotha art forumFirst international laureate art competition Marina di Ravenna patronage Ministry of cultural assets, art festival, Ravenna, ItalyHelmut G. Tollmann, Art-performance at the CeBIT '94,catalogue, cologne 1994Helmut G. Tollmann, Soul of Chip, ed. Dieter Weiss, with a text by Uli Seegers, CologneHelmut G. Tollmann, Arbeiten auf Papier (works on paper) 1996-97, ed. by Acer and Safiriou art-consulting, texts by G.O. SafiriouVerbindungen, exhibition catalogue, ed. by The City of Cologne in co-operation with ArtExpert, texts by G.O. Safiriou, Cologne 2001Helmut G. Tollmann - Beethoven Superstar, text by G.O. Safiriou, Cologne-Bonn 2002COSMIC ELEMENTS, catalogues, texts by G.O. Safiriou, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Thessaloniki 2007Helmut G. Tollmann, monograph, ed. G.O. Safiriou, in preparationKreissparkasse KölnDaimler BenzKölnisches StadtmuseumMesse KölnIMOHAMKrügerSIEMENSAcerWinter StiftungDEBISDielektraPeters