Hanns Schimansky is regarded as one of the most significant contemporary draftsmen. In his work, he liberates the line from the obligation to represent reality: for him, it becomes a pure expression of rhythm, speed, and energy, which is evident in his minimalist compositions as well as in his folds.
Image gallery
Hanns Schimansky, ohne Titel, 2025, Tusche, Faltung auf Papier, 26,5 x 38 cm
For these, he often uses large-format papers, which he works on with ink, chalk, or graphite before subjecting the sheets to a process of folding. These paper folds create relief-like surfaces that extend the drawing from two-dimensionality into space, transforming it into sculptural forms.
Schimansky’s art is a quiet yet intense “making audible” of visual impulses—an adventure on paper that oscillates between rigorous construction and dance-like freedom.
Galerie Pankow is dedicating a solo exhibition to the artist, in which predominantly new drawings and folds are presented, opening up the inexhaustible cosmos of his drawing vocabulary to an interested and “seeing” audience.
Hanns Schimansky, born in Bitterfeld in 1949 and raised in Stralsund and Rostock, studied agricultural sciences (1968–1972) at the University of Rostock and subsequently worked in the grain industry until 1977. Even during his school and university years, Schimansky drew, participated in drawing circles, and received important inspiration from the painter Johannes Müller. Beginning in 1974, he was mentored by Gerhard Kettner and was his master student at the Academy of Arts of the GDR in Berlin from 1977 to 1980. From 1998 to 2015, Schimansky was a professor of drawing at the Berlin-Weißensee School of Art. He is a member of the Academy of Arts, Berlin. His work has been exhibited internationally on numerous occasions and has been honored with grants and awards. Hanns Schimansky has lived and worked in Berlin since 1977.
- Exhibition dates: April 1 to June 7, 2026
- Opening hours
- Tuesday through Friday
- 12:00 – 20:00
- Saturday and Sunday
- 14:00 – 20:00
Location: Galerie Pankow
Breite Straße 8
13187 Berlin
Additional information
Participating artists
Hanns Schimansky
