Jan Helbig (born 1971 in Bremen, Germany) is a visual artist. In his work he focuses on painting, portraiture, performance art and experimental music. He studied Fine Arts at the Muthesius Art College in Kiel and has been professionally active in the fine arts realm since then. In 2018, he and Matthias Kulcke opened the “Denktraum” art studio and production gallery in Hamburg’s HafenCity. Their collaborations include among others impromptu paintings (sofortmalerei) and improvised musical performances (sofortmusik). Since 2020, he has been teaching Aesthetic Competence at Leuphana University Lüneburg. Jan Helbig lives and works in Hamburg.
Selected group, duo and solo exhibitions/performances
2025-2026 “Vaterland? Ein Schiff kommt nach Hause” (Fatherland? A ship is coming home), musical and spoken word performance with projections of sofortmalerei (Klüßendorf/Möller-Titel and Kulcke/Helbig), Metropolis Kino, Hamburg 2026 (p) – „Contra“, Galerie Hornbrunnen and Graukloster, paintings, Schleswig 2025 (g e)
2022-2023 „Projekt Tagesessenzen“ (daily essences), 365 daily text fragments and drawings by Dobrot/Kulcke/Helbig, Hamburg (g e) – „Durchhaltepost“ (Letters of perseverence), paintings, mixed media, M28hoch2 e.V., Hamburg 2021 (g e) – „Peter Nagel 60 Jahre Malerei und Gäste“(Peter Nagel and guests: 60 Years of Painting), paintings, Stadtgalerie Kiel 2021 (g e) – “Vaterland? Ein Schiff kommt nach Hause”, musical and spoken word performance with projections of sofortmalerei (Klüßendorf/Möller-Titel – Kulcke/Helbig), Musikpavillon Planten un Blomen, Hamburg 2023 (p)
2019-2020 „ArtBombs“, video installation by Helbig/Kulcke, Bürgerhaus Barmbek, Hamburg 2020 (d e) – „Das Problem kneten“ (Kneading the problem), happening by Helbig/Kulcke/Helzel, Denktraum, Hamburg 2019 (p) – „Amphobien – Tiefe Gesichter – Portraitmalerei“(Amphobien – deep faces – portrait painting), paintings by Helbig/Kulcke, Denktraum, Hamburg 2019 (d e)
1998-2017 „Was würdest du tun?“ (What would you do?), happening, Nebeler Strandaufgang, Amrum 2017 (p) – „Muschelintervention“ (Intervention with seashells), object installation, Nebel/Amrum 2016 (p) – „Möglichkeitsraum Spritzenplatz“ (The Spritzenplatz as a space for potential), Performances/Happenings – Spritzenplatz Altona, Hamburg (p) – „Free money box (feat. Gaye Chan)“, Object installation (intervention), Rewe Hamburg 2015 and Nebeler Strandaufgang, Amrum 2015 – „mArk werner Intervention 2“, performance art, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg 2013 (p) – „Akrylkonzept: Malerei im Dialog“ (Painting as dialogue), Painting, Landeshaus Kiel 2013 (d e p) – „Lokal-Ikonen“, paintings, Lokal, Hamburg 2011 (s e) – „Akrylkonzept- Gemeinsame Werke 2008-2009“ (Joint paintings 2008-2009), paintings, Merkurgalerie Kiel 2009 (d e) – „Klassentreffen 4“(class reunion 4), paintings, Kulturzentrum Salzau 2001 (g e) – „Blau“(blue), painting, Galerie Ruth Sachse Hamburg 2000 (g e) – „Vertraute Fremde“ (the familiar stranger), paiting, August-Westphalen-Stipendium(August-Westphalen-Scholarship), Kulturamt Neumünster 2000 (s e) – „Liebhaberglück“ (The lover’s happiness), painting, Foyer für junge Kunst Flensburg 1999 (s e) – „45. Landesschau“(45. Exhibition of the federal state), paintings, Burgkloster Lübeck, Lübeck 1998 (g e)
Selected collaborations of performance art
sofortmalerei – founded 2022: In their impromptu painting project “sofortmalerei”, the artists Jan Helbig and Matthias Kulcke paint live and in dialog. With their performative concept of painting simultaneously on the same canvas, they accompany institutional events, celebratory occasions, readings and multimedia event formats.
sofortmusik – founded 2011 – In a world that must deliver “instantly” as well as heal and function flawlessly, sofortmusik “delivers” improvised poetry in perfect incompleteness with guitars, bass and words: creating a cheerfully bubbling space of relaxation.