Model for a Hotel, a 21-storey architectural structure constructed from yellow, blue, and red glass, stood on the Fourth Plinth of Trafalgar Square in 2007. This project highlights the career of a German artist whose output encompasses sculpture, architectural design, drawing, painting, and photography, reflecting a multidisciplinary practice developed since the mid-1970s.
Artistic Development and Education
Born in Oldenburg in 1954, Schütte pursued his education at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf between 1973 and 1981. During this period, he studied alongside Katharina Fritsch under the guidance of instructors including Gerhard Richter, Fritz Schwegler, Daniel Buren, and Benjamin Buchloh. His early training included the creation of self-portraits in oil and watercolor, establishing a foundation that would influence his later visual work.
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Schütte has participated in documenta in Kassel on three occasions. His exhibition history includes a 1989 solo show at the Marian Goodman Gallery in New York and extensive surveys at venues such as the Serpentine Galleries in London, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Dia Art Foundation. His monumental work, Vater Staat, appeared at the Kunsthalle Mainz in 2013, while his recent professional activity featured a comprehensive retrospective on the sixth floor of the MoMA from September 2024 to January 2025.
Market Recognition and Awards
The artist received the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 2005 Venice Biennial. His other accolades include the Arnold-Bode-Preis in 1991, the Rome Prize of the German Academy Villa Massimo for 1992-1993, and the Lichtwark Prize in 2004. In the commercial art market, his sculpture Großer Geist Nr. 6 achieved a record price of $5,317,000 at Christie's New York in May 2014, while a cast aluminum work, Großer Geist No. 16, previously sold for $4.1 million at Phillips in 2010.
Fast facts
- Born: 1954, Oldenburg, Germany
- Education: Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (1973-1981)
- Notable Award: Golden Lion, Venice Biennial (2005)
- Primary Occupations: Sculptor, painter, photographer
- Record Market Sale: $5,317,000 (2014)
- Residency: Düsseldorf, Germany
Questions readers ask
Where is Thomas Schütte's work held?
His pieces are included in global museum collections, such as the Tate, MoMA, the Clark Art Institute, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Berggruen Museum.
Did Schütte study under Gerhard Richter?
Yes, he studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 1973 to 1981, where Gerhard Richter was one of his instructors.
Achievements
- Lichtwark Prize — 2004
- Rome Prize of the German Academy Villa Massimo
