Erik Schmidt (* 1968 in Herford, lives in Berlin) works across painting, drawing, photography, video, and performance. The KINDL presents his extensive body of work from nearly three decades in multiple chapters, creating a multifaceted self-portrait that probes questions of (queer) identity, community, and individuality. Through richly layered compositions, Schmidt offers a perspective that is at times brutal and often humorous, exposing underlying social norms and structures.

Curator: Yara Sonseca Mas

11.10., 14:00
Tour with Erik Schmidt
In English
Free admission
Registration

19.11., 19:00
The Rise and Fall of Erik Schmidt
Lecture Performance by Erik Schmidt
Book Launch The Rise and Fall of Erik Schmidt
In German
Free admission

29.1., 19:00
Krist Gruijthuijsen (Director EMMA | Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland) in conversation with Erik Schmidt
In English
Free admission

Looking back, it becomes clear that Schmidt’s work has most of all been characterized by a strong dualism since the late 1990s: painting here, videos there.
Dominikus Müller, Monopol, 9/2025 

The superbly arranged retrospective provides an opportunity to get to know both Erik Schmidts at the same time; in some cases, the projections even overlap the pictures in the exhibition. 
[Die hervorragend eingerichtete Retrospektive gibt Gelegenheit, beide Erik Schmidts gleichzeitig kennenzulernen, ja teilweise schieben sich in der Ausstellung die Projektionen sogar über die Bilder.]
Nicola Kuhn, Tagesspiegel, 21.10.202 

Appearances, surfaces and what lies beneath them are often the subject of his paintings. Overpainting is one of his specialities. His oil paintings resemble sculptures, so thickly is the paint applied.
[Äußerlichkeiten, Oberflächen und das, was sich darunter befindet, darum geht es oft auch in seiner Malerei. Übermalungen sind dort eine seiner Spezialitäten. Seine Ölgemälde gleichen Skulpturen, so pastos ist die Farbe aufgetragen.]
Beate Scheder, taz, 16.10.2025

Further Material:
Room Guide The Rise and Fall of Erik Schmidt
Floorplan The Rise and Fall of Erik Schmidt
Bibliography of the KINDL bib 25/26 at Café Babette

The exhibition is supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.

The video work Rough Trade is produced by Fluentum and will be shown for the first time as part of the exhibition.

A book published by Distanz will accompany the exhibition, supported by the Leinemann-Stiftung für Bildung und Kunst (Leinemann Foundation for Education and Art).

The exhibition was developed by the KINDL – Centre for Contemporary Art, Berlin, and will be shown at EACC Castelló in 2026.

As part of