Timo von Eicken

The result: condensed narratives that unfold on canvas like mental collages, like curated collections of the curious, realized in oil and acrylic. In his works, past and present, figuration and abstraction, reality and dream seamlessly merge—infused with a muted retro aesthetic that gives each scene a touch of timelessness.

Von Eicken’s sources of inspiration are as varied as the streets of his hometown Hamburg or the pages of 1950s and 60s magazines—but ultimately, he does not find inspiration; it finds him. It is a process of curiosity and shifted perspective, one that opens hidden doors to unseen worlds. This openness is also the key to his paintings: they are marked by a deliberate artistic ambiguity that creates spaces for interpretation, sparks the imagination, and ensures that every viewing becomes an act of discovery—a process that is never truly complete. With each encounter, new details emerge, new perspectives unfold.

The way von Eicken challenges familiar perspectives through amorphous elements carries echoes of his early roots in street art. After studying graphic design, he worked as a freelance illustrator before dedicating himself entirely to painting in 2008—a decision that allowed his unmistakable artistic voice to fully develop.

In his paintings, time seems to stand still, even as the visual narrative continues to unfold with vibrant dynamism. With a subtle, finely tuned palette, von Eicken draws viewers into worlds that feel both nostalgically tinged and surreal: a dog’s protective collar, for example, suddenly resembling the bell of a tuba; a matador seemingly locked in a contest of speed against a racing car, its velocity almost palpable. There is an electrifying tension between harmonious form, deliberate dissonance, and fluid indeterminacy.

Timo von Eicken invites us to see the world through an artist’s eyes—and in doing so, shifts the boundaries of what we imagine possible: an invitation to let the imagination wander and to stay alert to the extraordinary hidden in the everyday.

2006 He came back in Pieces // Vicious Gallery, Hamburg 

2009 A skate for run! // Vicious Gallery, Hamburg

2010 Party in the Cemetry, dancing with a ghost // Erste Liebe, Hamburg

2011 Construction Kids // Bau, Hamburg

2012 From Behind // Vicious Gallery, Hamburg

2014 Ixypsilon // Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg; Frontal // Erste Liebe, Hamburg

2015 Run forrest run // Erste Liebe, Hamburg

2015 Nonski // Galerie Gudberg Nerger, Hamburg

2017 On/Off // Galerie Gudberg Nerger, Hamburg

2019 Galerie Kristine Hamann, Wismar