Juan Pablo Echeverri

w-o-r-k/s

Klemm’s is proud to present w-o-r-k/s, a solo exhibition surveying two decades of Juan Pablo Echeverri’s (1978–2022) practice. Spanning the gallery’s two spaces, the exhibition explores the vast array of still and moving image-making strategies that define Echeverri’s oeuvre. By providing a portal into his multilayered universe of parody and social critique, the show highlights the precision, variety, and formal consistency of a legacy rooted in the “grid” format and portraiture – used here as a magnifying glass for both the psychological and the social.

A renowned figure in contemporary Colombian art, Echeverri developed his work through clearly demarcated cycles of images. Each series possesses a unique pictorial design and a rigorous, often surprising, formal logic. His visual vocabulary frequently extended beyond the aesthetics of “camp,” adopting an anti-aesthetic approach that challenged established notions of taste.

The performativity of identity is the central theme of Echeverri’s serial works. Using the human body and face – typically his own – as a primary subject, he acted as a collector of personalities. Through their sheer quantity and diversity, these personas demonstrate that both “norm” and “deviation” are merely social constructs.

Echeverri’s play with cultural stereotypes masks a deeper intent. His characters oscillate between subtle hints and bold, exaggerated personae, existing in the tension between comedy and existential seriousness. w-o-r-k/s highlights this complexity, showcasing the incredible variety of forms that defined his artistic vision.

Over the past three years, Echeverri’s work has undergone a substantial recontextualization, solidifying his legacy as a significant force in contemporary image-making. His pieces have been acquired by prominent institutions, including MoMA, the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Deutsche Börse, and the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.

w-o-r-k/s opens at Klemm’s on May 1 and will be on until June 6, 2026. In the context of the exhibition, Klemm’s has issued a publication that includes an extensive text on Echeverri’s practice by curator María Wills Londoño, as well as a conversation between Marcela Echeverri, Juan Pablo’s sister and Director of the Echeverri Estate, and Sebastian Klemm.

In the framework of Gallery Weekend we would also like to point out to the single/video release of Warm Star by Wolfgang Tillmans & Juan Pablo Echeverri (2016), remixed by TR/ST, Canada (2026) on May 2, 2026 from 4–6 pm.