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, outstanding and 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).
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 and 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
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
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
DER GREIF – Ein Prozess
DEUTSCHPUNK
2012
GLEIS 22 – Fünfundzwanzig Jahre Konzerte
BLACK HEAVEN
Exhibitions
2025
What a great place to get away from, tba
2024
Shaped by time, The Space (group show), Hamburg
2023
Kunstpreis des Château Bleu, Château Bleu (group show), Hamburg
Übergänge IV – Laufender Mond, Raum linksrechts (group show), Hamburg
Shaped by time, The Space (group show), Hamburg
Beluga, Kunstverein Jesteburg (solo show), Jesteburg
I’ve been up all night waitig for you to come home (solo show)„ Studio45, Hamburg
2022
The moon and the sun they both meet in my eyes, Studio45 (solo show), Hamburg
I want my money back, Island (solo show), Hamburg
Current Currents Currency, Raum Links Rechts, (group show), Hamburg
2021
COMEBACK, Horst‐Janssen‐Museum (solo show), Oldenburg
2020
Die Welt ist Ganz, Galerie Melike Bilir (group show), Hamburg
2019
99 Skies, HelloMe (solo show), Berlin, Germany
Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (group show), Aachen, Germany
Beautiful Memory Desserts (solo show), Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany
2018
Benefiz, Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (group show), Aachen, Germany
Goodbye Blue Sky (group show), Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany
I guess I took one look at you and forgot the rest (solo show), Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany
TOY BITCHES FUCK YOU (group show), Galerie Kai Erdmann, Hamburg, Germany
Die neue Mona Lisa (group show), Galerie Melike Bilir, Hamburg, Germany
Deichtorhallen Jahresgaben (group show), Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany
2017
Deichtorhallen Jahresgaben (group show), Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany
Castello Di Lajone (group show), Alessandria, Italy
Soirée graphique (group show), Komet, Bern, Switzerland
Sunset Foot Clinic (with Stefan Marx), Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany
All my friends were at G20… (Performance with Robin Hinsch & Charlotte Gosh), Hamburg, Germany
2016
Mehrlinge (group show), Galerie Kai Erdmann, Hamburg, Germany
Untitled 2 (group show), Galerie Warhus Ritterhaus, Cologne, Germany
Wie Gott in Frankreich, Galerie Ame Nue, Hamburg, Germany
2015
Schlafzimmer Sandrock, Schlafzimmer Sandrock, Berlin, Germany
Aber sonst gehts gut, Galerie 21, Hamburg, Germany
Für das bisschen nachwelt, Galerie Hinterconti, Hamburg, Germany
ADC, Art directors club exhibition, Millerntor Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
Schwanzparade, Uwe Jens Bermeitinger (part of installation), Hamburg, Germany
MC1R (group show), Hamburg, Germany
2014
Cologne Art Fair (group show), Cologne, Germany
TISSUE Ultra IV (group show), Paris, France
Garlstorfer Kunstfest, Garlstorf, Germany
Many Happy Returns (group show), Hamburg, Germany
TISSUE Ultra III (group show), Milano, Italy
Der Greif ‘A Process’ (group show), Augsburg, Germany
Bis Einer Heult, Hamburg, Germany
Tim Bruening eating fries (performance), Munich, Germany
2013
Pudel Art Basel (group show), Hamburg, Germany
Ich kannte den, da war der noch cool!, Hamburg, Germany
Deutschpunk, Cologne, Germany
Kindergeburstag (group show), Bottrop, Germany
For each like (Performance with René Haustein), Hamburg, Germany
2012
Black Heaven, Münster, Germany
2011
Gisela (group show), Münster, Germany
2010
Am I killing time or is time killing me, Münster, Germany