Hendrik BeikirchGermany

Hendrik Beikirch (b. 1974, Kassel, DE) is a portrait artist who seeks to capture a person’s “aura” in all his work, making them immortal in the process. He specializes in black and white pencil drawings that transform people from the anonymous to the iconic. Beikirch reconstructs classical portraiture through his own language, mostly spoken through the time-worn faces of elderly men. Whether it’s a 240-foot mural, a canvas, or a small print, he manages to capture his subjects’ innermost emotions.

Beikirch features portraits of people he encountered in his numerous trips around the world, frozen in a moment of time in a pose heavy with expectation. What are they waiting for? It’s this question that frames the work’s sense of mystery. This is an anthropological practice, one that addresses the personal and the public, the individual and the masses.

Beikirch’s art also reflects on remote places, far removed from civilization, where extreme natural environments inspire both mental and physical transformation. Whether driven by spiritual longing or the pursuit of endurance, these places imbue each step with existential meaning. His paintings—often rendered in silver on black acrylic—evoke ancient storytelling traditions, transforming memories into meditative compositions. These works function like time capsules, allowing for retrospection and foresight alike. From the pitch black of mountain nights to snow-blinding whites and midday heights, the pieces evoke embodied experiences, while also highlighting the ever-present human footprint—even in the most isolated locations.

He has had numerous significant solo exhibitions, including at the Städtische Galerie im Park Viersen (2020), Montresso Art Foundation Marrakech (2015, 2018), and Galerie Wolfsen Aalborg (2014, 2019). Beikirch’s murals have been presented in major international art events and institutions, such as Les Abattoirs Toulouse (2016), Museum Mohammed VI of Modern and Contemporary Art Rabat (2017), and MuBE – Museu Brasileiro da Escultura, São Paulo (2013). His works have also been featured in global biennials and art fairs in Seoul (2012), New York (2009), Miami (2011), Delhi (2014), and Basel (2011). With monumental public artworks—such as the tallest murals in Germany, India, and South Korea—his art enters the urban fabric. Beikirch’s paintings are represented in numerous private and institutional collections across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He lives and works in Koblenz, Germany.