Astrid Klein (*1951) is one of Germany’s most distinguished conceptual artists. Collage constitutes the main formal and artistic principal of her work. Her large-scale wall pieces often combine found images with her own text or quotes from philosophy, theory or science to illuminate suppressed aspects of the collective unconscious and to question conventional power structures and modes of representation. Her oeuvre—comprising photographic work but also neon and mirror sculptures, installations, painting and drawing—oscillates between poetry and criticism, skepticism and longing. The Cologne-based artist has been associated with the gallery since 1996.

Photo: Timo Ohler
Astrid Klein
I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain
Michael & Eleonore Stoffel Foundation – nw9, Cologne
October 31, 2025–February 28, 2026
Public Reception: October 31, 4–7pm
The Michael & Eleonore Stoffel Foundation is pleased to present the exhibition I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain by Astrid Klein – a title referring to a passage of Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus. The central element of the exhibition is a brand new carpet sculpture that forms a compelling unity with the surrounding works. It engages with the interplay of text and image, interweaving sources from literature and music, both classic and contemporary. In this context, the exhibition reflects Astrid Klein’s practice, which is defined by a multidisciplinary approach resisting confinement to a single medium. The Michael & Eleonore Stoffel Foundation features the work of the artist and holds several of Astrid Klein’s works in its collection.
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