Simon Nelke

Revealing what lies beneath, layer by layer. Bringing the shadows of the visible to the fore and making the hidden the subject of his work: this form of artistic creation drives the Hamburg-based painter Simon Nelke. Since the start of his studies, Nelke has engaged with human figures with striking tenacity. He transforms them into mystical protagonists of his works, which adhere to the principle of applying and erasing. The superimposition of layers and the partial scraping away of the oil paint form the basis of his distinctive technique, through which earlier layers of the painting are brought back to the surface.

Nelke’s palette is spectrally extensive, his choice of colours distinctive. By using muted shades of violet, blue, green and pink, he often creates an exotic or gentle visual tone that enhances the frequently magical effect of his paintings. All his works bear witness to a creative self-assurance that finds expression in symbol-laden compositions.

In this new body of work, the scope broadens: portraits remain important, yet botanical motifs emerge as independent themes, alongside animals as powerful symbols: the falcon and the panther. Simon Nelke has been collaborating with Galerie Schimming since 2020: alles was ich seh (2020), Lichterfang (Sylt 2021), Echoes (2022), was bleibt (Sylt 2022), Instinkt (2024) and Chaos | Rhythm | Form (2026).