Curriculum Vitae
Tim Bruening (*1983) is a German artist and photographer whose work is a boundary‐pushing blend of the personal and the political, ranging from intimate portraits and abstract experiments to still lifes and social commentary. Starting his career in the late 2000s, he quickly gained attention for capturing subcultures, nightlife, musicians, and celebrities with an intimate, unpolished, authentic aesthetic. Bruening has collaborated with major magazines such as Purple Fashion Magazine, Interview, GQ, L’Officiel Hommes, Zeit Magazin, Spiegel and Vice as well as fashion brands like Dior, Adidas, Converse and others, while maintaining a strong connection to underground and alternative scenes.
Bruening’s work bridges pop culture, cinematic fantasy and everyday life, in photographs that blur the line between documentary and fiction, he creates a unique poetic visual language. Even in commercial settings, Bruening maintains a consistent voice — emphasizing spontaneity, authentic emotion and human connection over polished perfection. His bold, emotionally resonant and visually distinctive work goes beyond conventional commercial aesthetics. This rare cohesion between his artistic and commercial work sets him apart in an industry often defined by strict genre lines.
His first institutional solo exhibition titled Comeback, held at the Horst‑Janssen Museum in Oldenburg showcased nearly 200 photographs, video installations and a site‑specific spatial installation. The exhibition included Intimate portraits of film stars — such as Nicolas Cage, Bella Thorne, Paz de la Huerta and Amanda Plummer — captured away from the red carpet in spontaneous, humanizing scenes. Framed in Cinematic collages where these portraits resonated with bizarre or abstract landscapes and old film sets to subvert typical modes of viewing.
A standout feature: Bruening’s then 87‐year‐old grandmother Elsbeth, lovingly dressed as icons like Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Uma Thurman (Kill Bill), or Joaquin Phoenix (Joker). The video installation featured several actors such as Sandra Hüller, Malcolm McDowell, Bruce Dern, Danny Trejo and others who referred about Bruening’s Comeback.
Comeback was followed by the solo shows The moon and the sun they both meet in my eyes, I’ve been up all night waiting for you to come home in Hamburg and Beluga at the Kunstverein Jesteburg.
Alongside to his exhibitions Bruening has published numerous artist books and zines, created short films, a documentary and directed several music videos.
Selected Clients & Publications
o2, 032c, ADIDAS, AXE, BENCH, CONVERSE, DEICHKIND, DIOR, HERR VON EDEN, INTERVIEW MAGAZINE, KOLOSS, L’OFFICIEL HOMMES, NEON, NYLON, NZZ, PURPLE MAGAZINE, R.T.CO, SAMSUNG, SPEX, SPOTIFY, SLEEK, DER SPIEGEL, STERN, SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, TELEKOM ELECTRONIC BEATS, TISSUE MAGAZINE, UNIVERSAL, VICE, ZEIT MAGAZIN,…
Books, Zines & Publications
2025
Get the fuck off my spaceship (with Logan Polish)
2024
Zou Zou
It’s not really my problem if they think I’m weird
I’m too old for this shit, kill me while I’m young
2021
Tim Bruening’s COMEBACK
2020
Difficult times, magnificent skies
2019
Still Lifes
All my friends are dead
Arriba España
2017
LA (with Stefan Marx)
2016
Wie Gott in Frankreich
2015
Für das bisschen Nachwelt
2014
Das Wetter – 1UP Special
Der Greif – Ein Prozess
Deutschpunk
2012
Gleis22 – Fünfundzwanzig Jahre Konzerte
Black Heaven
Exhibitions
2024
1312, Galerie Kai Erdmann, Berlin, Germany (group show)
2024
Shaped by time, The Space, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
2023
Kunstpreis des Château Bleu, Château Bleu, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Übergänge IV – Laufender Mond, Raum linksrechts, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Shaped by time, The Space, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Beluga, Kunstverein Jesteburg, Jesteburg, Germany (solo show)
I’ve been up all night waiting for you to come home, Studio45, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
2022
The moon and the sun they both meet in my eyes, Studio45 (solo show), Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
I want my money back, Island, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
Current Currents Currency, Raum Links Rechts, (group show), Hamburg, Germany
2021
COMEBACK, Horst‐Janssen‐Museum, Oldenburg, Germany (solo show)
2020
Die Welt ist Ganz, Galerie Melike Bilir, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
2019
99 Skies, HelloMe, Berlin, Germany (solo show)
Neuer Aachener Kunstverein, Aachen, Germany (group show)
Beautiful Memory Desserts (solo show), Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
2018
Benefiz, Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (group show), Aachen, Germany (group show)
Goodbye Blue Sky (group show), Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
I guess I took one look at you and forgot the rest, Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
Toy Bitches, Fuck you, Galerie Kai Erdmann, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Die neue Mona Lisa, Galerie Melike Bilir, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Deichtorhallen Jahresgaben, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
2017
Deichtorhallen Jahresgaben, Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Castello Di Lajone , Alessandria, Italy (group show)
Soirée graphique, Komet, Bern, Switzerland (group show)
Sunset Foot Clinic, Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany (with Stefan Marx)
All my friends were at G20…, Hamburg, Germany (Performance with Robin Hinsch & Charlotte Gosch)
2016
Mehrlinge, Galerie Kai Erdmann, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Untitled 2, Galerie Warhus Ritterhaus, Cologne, Germany (group show)
Wie Gott in Frankreich, Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
2015
Do it all again next weekend, Schlafzimmer Sandrock, Berlin, Germany (solo show)
Aber sonst gehts gut, Galerie 21, Hamburg, Germany
Für das bisschen Nachwelt, Galerie Hinterconti, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
ADC, Art directors club exhibition, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
Schwanzparade, Uwe Jens Bermeitinger, Hamburg, Germany (part of installation)
MC1R, Island, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
2014
Cologne Art Fair, Cologne, Germany (group show)
TISSUE Ultra IV, Paris, France (group show)
Garlstorfer Kunstfest, Garlstorf, Germany (group show)
Many Happy Returns (group show), Hamburg, Germany (group show)
TISSUE Ultra III (group show), Milano, Italy (group show)
Der Greif ‘A Process’ (group show), Augsburg, Germany (group show)
Bis Einer Heult, Hamburg, Germany (with Robin Hinsch)
Tim Bruening eating fries, Munich, Germany (performance)
2013
Pudel Art Basel, Hamburg, Germany (group show)
Ich kannte den, da war der noch cool!, Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
Deutschpunk, Cologne, Germany (solo show)
Kindergeburstag, Bottrop, Germany (group show)
For each like, Hamburg, Germany (Performance with René Haustein)
2012
Black Heaven, Münster, Germany (solo show)
2011
Gisela, Münster, Germany (group show)
2010
Am I killing time or is time killing me, Münster, Germany (solo show)