Claus Bertermann

Having started his professional career in architecture, Claus Bertermann’s early work in this field influenced his approach to painting – though not in the expected ways.

With works sold at Sotheby’s and Christie’s in 2024 and 2025 and privately sold pieces for up to 35,000 USD, Claus Bertermann (*1965, Stuttgart) has emerged as a bold German-Spanish artist who refuses to be boxed in.

For him, true artistic value is born from uncompromising freedom – of form, thought, and interpretation. Trained as an architect but driven by instinct, Bertermann breaks away from structure to pursue a raw, intuitive, and organic creativity. His large-scale, multilayered works don’t just occupy space – they challenge it, transforming every piece into an immersive journey of discovery for both artist and viewer.

He discovered that architecture, often seen as rigid and controlled, could be limiting. "Architecture taught me to question structure," Bertermann reflects. He grew fascinated with the elements architecture intentionally leaves out – chaos, imperfection, and emotional asymmetry—and sought to explore these ideas through his art. "I use the logic of architecture only to break it down," he says, describing his work as "a ritual before collapse."

Bertermann’s artistic journey was also shaped by his spanish grandfather, Guillermo Castañeda, whose influence continues to resonate in his work. As a child, Bertermann was struck by the emotional depth of his grandfather's paintings, which conveyed complex, contradictory stories that still felt true. "My grandfather’s work was a form of emotional excavation," Bertermann explains. "It taught me that art is not just visual – it’s a way to process memory." Castañeda's abstract paintings, in particular, left an indelible mark, inspiring Bertermann to view art as a way of engaging with deep, sometimes painful, personal histories.

Notable solo exhibitions include:
2019 – BBVA Art Space, Oviedo
2024 – Robinson’s Art Gallery, Knokke-Zoute
2025 – Robinson’s Art Gallery, Knokke-Zoute

In the international auction market, his works gained increasing relevance in 2024 and 2025. Notable results include:

Christie’s, Paris (April 2024) – Whispershade (2023) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €15,120

Christie’s, Paris (December 2024) – Retro Zen (2023) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €18,900

Tajan, Paris (November 2024) – R5TW#CB (2019) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €10,496 and G318#CB (2019) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €11,152

Artcurial, Paris (June 2025) – PFKS#CB – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €10,496

Sotheby’s, Cologne (June 2025) – F5TP#CB (2024) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €15,240

Dorotheum, Vienna (September 2025) – 9JK1#CB (2018) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €7,800

Van Ham, Cologne (October 2025) – KR44#CB (2020) – estimated €6,000–8,000, sold for €11,220

Claus Bertermann has consolidated a unique position within contemporary abstract painting. His works combine structural depth, organic freedom, aesthetic calm, and a clear, harmonious visual language – qualities particularly appreciated by collectors and curators who va...