David Gunderlach

I am a Berlin-based visual artist and psychotherapist. My work explores the psychological and political dimensions of human experience. I use mixed media, acrylic paint, and industrial foil to create emotionally charged, multilayered compositions. Text, symbols, and portrait-like figures appear throughout my work – reflecting themes like power, vulnerability, loss, and identity.

Influenced by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Roy Lichtenstein, I developed a style that combines expressive gestures with conceptual clarity. In the 1980s, I lived and worked in New York, where I also performed in galleries – including a notable appearance at the Leo Castelli Gallery in 1986/87. These early years shaped my artistic voice and deepened my commitment to art as social and psychological inquiry.

I studied filmmaking in Berkley/California at the BFI and received classical training in realistic oil painting from a Hungarian artist who had learned the craft from her mother and, as she once told me, also studied with Matisse. Later in life, at the age of 49, I completed a full clinical psychology program and earned my Master’s degree. In addition, I have studied Buddhist psychology in depth. My path weaves together artistic exploration, intergenerational knowledge, contemplative insight, and a profound dedication to understanding the human psyche.

Exhibitions

2024
• Solo exhibition at Haus Kunst Mitte, Berlin

2004
• Group exhibition Open Studios – Art at Gerichtshöfe as part of the Long Night of Museums, Berlin

1987
• Solo exhibition at the German Consulate General, New York
• Group exhibition Art and Exhibit at the studio space of Simon and Garfunkel, New York
• Performances at:
 – Leo Castelli Gallery, New York
 – Ivan Karp Gallery, New York
 – Tibor de Nagy Gallery, New York
 – Ilena Sonnabend Gallery, New York
 – Holly Solomon Gallery, New York
 – Joan Washburn Gallery, New York
• Performance and spatial installation at Carlton Arms Hotel, New York
• Performance on the Empire State Building, New York

1986
• Solo exhibition at Theatergalerie im Karlshof, Munich
• Performance at the gallery of Paul Maenz, Cologne

1985
• Solo exhibition in Näfels, Switzerland
Publications

• Berliner Morgenpost – 2024
• Tagesspiegel – 2024
• Artspeak, New York – 1987
• Hustler Magazine – September 1987
• ART Magazin, Germany – April 1986
• Glarner Nachrichten, Switzerland – 1985