Julian-Jakob Kneer
*1992, lives and works in Berlin
Julian-Jakob Kneer received his MFA from the Universität der Künste Berlin (Meisterschüler, Prof. Monica Bonvicini). He explores how social symbols and categories shape desire, behaviour, and judgement. His work moves between the unconscious and the codes through which taste is produced and policed, drawing on everyday pop culture as well as more intimate, idiosyncratic obsessions. Working across installation, film, sculpture, and self-portraiture, he brings together references that don’t normally coexist, creating a tension between attraction and discomfort.
His works have been exhibited across Europe and the United States, including Kunsthalle Košice (2024), Miettinen Collection (2023), Shore Gallery (2023, 2020), Schinkel Pavillon (2021), Kunsthalle Basel (2020), ICA London (2020), Lubov Gallery, New York (2019), PS120, Berlin (2019), Lucas Hirsch, Düsseldorf (2019), fffriedrich, Frankfurt am Main (2018), and BIKINI, Basel (2018), among others.
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Education
MFA from the Universität der Künste, Berlin (Prof. Monica Bonvicini) DE
Selected solo exhibitions2026 Gestalt, Blue Velvet, Zurich CH
2025 FANATICS II, Blue Velvet at Villa Nomad, Zurich CH
2024 Prodigy, Kunsthalle Košice, Košice, Slovakia SK
2023 BASTARDS, Blue Velvet, Zürich CH
2023 SHOOTING STAR: ENCORE, Miettinen Collection, Berlin DE
2023 BASTARDS (NEVERLAND), Shore Gallery, Vienna AT
2022 SHOOTING STAR, Blue Velvet, Zürich CH
2021 Solo Booth, Liste Art Fair, Shore Gallery, Basel CH
2021 Julian-Jakob Kneer, Galerie brunand brunand, Berlin DE
2021 High-Rise Berlin, Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin DE
2020 Ever After, Shore Gallery, Vienna AT
2019 Frottage, Limbo, Berlin DE
2019 Sublime, Galerie Lucas Hirsch, Düsseldorf DE
2018 Wicked games, ROOM E-10 27, Berlin DE
2018 Jugend ist Trunkenheit ohne Wein, BIKINI, Basel CH
2017 Sub rosa, 1.1., Basel CH
2017 Ushirode, Geddert Hronjec Collection, Berlin DE
2016 International blood drinker (with Clémence de La Tour du Pin), Gärtnergasse, Vienna AT
Selected group exhibitions
2026 Miettinen Collection at Kunsthalle, Helsinki FI (upcoming)
2026 Carlye Packer, curated by BARRAGÀN, Los Angeles USA (forthcoming)
2026 Anti Heroes. Jakob Collection, Villa Merkel, Esslingen am Neckar DE
2025 GRUPPE SCREENING (with Simon Denny, Yngve Holen, Jasper Spicero), Julia Stoschek Foundation, Berlin DE
2024
2020 Situation 1 und andere, Kunsthalle Basel, Basel CH
2019 3hd / Creamcake, Postbank-Hochhaus, Berlin DE
2019 Tending Towards, AMOQA, Athen GR
2019 Cold Prey, Lubov Gallery, New York USA
2019 Teen Ranch, Main Street, Toronto CA
2019 In-visible Realness, PS120, Berlin DE
2018 Gentle Heterodoxy – Social Body and its Enchantments, fffriedrich, Frankfurt am Main DE
2017 CRIB 2 (in cooperation with Yves Scherer), Galerie 95, Biel CH
2016 Episode 9: Dinner Room Terravore, Oslo10, Basel CH
2016 TransArt Triennale, Uferstudios, Berlin DE
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Gestalt (solo) 24 April — 30 May 2026
Art Genève (group) 28 January — 02 February 2026
NADA Miami (group)
2 — 6 December 2025FANATICS II (solo)
14 June — 26 July 2025Art Genève (group)
30 January — 3 February 2025Honey (group)
2 — 30 September 2023
BASTARDS (CAREGIVERS) (solo)
9 June — 29 July 2023
NADA New York (duo)
18 — 21 May 2023 -
BASTARD (CAREGIVER, 2), 2023 uv-print on mirror-aluminum, galvanized mirror-aluminum artist-frame 125 x 90 x 3 cm
BASTARD (CAREGIVER, 5), 2023 uv-print on mirror-aluminum, galvanized mirror-aluminum artist-frame 125 x 90 x 3 cm
BASTARD (CAREGIVER, 3), 2023 uv-print on mirror-aluminum, galvanized mirror-aluminum artist-frame 125 x 90 x 3 cm
DER MANN DER LACHT, 2022 Digital print on puzzle, aluminium construction 94,5 x 75,5 x 5,5 cm
JUSTIN, 2022 Digital print on puzzle, aluminium construction 94,5 x 75,5 x 5,5 cm
KANYE, 2022 Digital print on puzzle, aluminium construction 94,5 x 75,5 x 5,5 cm
PEOPLE ALWAYS TOLD ME HOW VERY SPECIAL I AM. YOU TOO ARE A SPECIAL ONE. LET US BE SO VERY SPECIAL TOGETHER. 2022 Mirror foil on alu-frame, lipstick, LED lights, metal lacquer on vinyl curtain Mirror: 298 x 156 x 4 cm Curtain: variable dimensions
DOPPELGANGER, 2022 Digital print on puzzle, aluminium construction 94,5 x 158 x 5,5 cm
ROSES ARE RED. VIOLETS ARE BLUE. THE POLICE WILL NEED DENTAL RECORDS TO IDENTIFY YOU. BITCH, 2022 Reworked Balenciaga hat, reworked Balenciaga sunglasses, gloves, cutting board, sunscreen, lacquer Variable dimensions