Emanuel Seitz Germany, b. 1973
"Each painting is a proposition. A movement within a longer arc. The work never resolves - it remains open." - Emanuel Seitz
Emanuel Seitz (b. 1973, Germany) is a painter based in Munich whose practice revolves around abstraction as a sustained investigation into material, rhythm, and chromatic structure. Working primarily with acrylic and raw pigments on canvas, his oeuvre unfolds along two parallel trajectories: serial stripe compositions and more gestural abstract fields. Seitz studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under Günther Förg and has since exhibited widely across Europe. His paintings are held in significant public and private collections, including Lenbachhaus and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, the Pérez Art Museum in Miami, and Sammlung Reinhard Ernst in Wiesbaden. A focus on presence, interruption, and spatial tension runs through his work, which resists finality and favours repetition as a form of inquiry.
Emanuel Seitz (b. 1973) lives and works in Munich. His painting practice engages abstraction as an open structure - one that evolves through repetition, deviation, and material constraint. Following formative studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under Günther Förg, Seitz developed a dual trajectory in his work: stripe-based compositions that operate as chromatic sequences, and looser, more intuitive abstractions. The two lines intersect but are never reconciled. Each work is a temporal register - made without a predetermined plan, structured by the act of decision-making itself.
Working with pure pigments and binders, Seitz privileges surface, saturation, and the accumulation of spatial rhythm over image or narrative. His paintings resist resolution. They oscillate between silence and disruption, between intuitive flow and self-imposed limitation. As the artist notes: "Each painting is a proposition. A movement within a longer arc. The work never resolves - it remains open."
Over the past two decades, Seitz has exhibited extensively, with solo shows at Jacky Strenz (Frankfurt), Galerie Forsblom (Helsinki), Galería Ehrhardt Flórez (Madrid), Galerie Christine Mayer (Munich), and most recently Buysse Gallery (Knokke). His work is included in major public and private collections, including the Lenbachhaus, the Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich), Sammlung Reinhard Ernst (Wiesbaden), the Miettinen Collection (Berlin), Munich Re, and the Pérez Art Museum (Miami).
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SHIFT: Abstract Transformations Expanded
Groupshow 26 December 2024 - 2 February 2025An expanded iteration of Buysse Gallery’s acclaimed exhibition Shift, this show delves deeper into the transformative potential of abstraction. Featuring works by Bram Bogart, Cyrielle Gulacsy, Tom Van Puyvelde, Lieven Deconinck, and the newly added Chiharu Shiota, the exhibition explores the intersections of form, color, and materiality. Curated by Louis Buysse, this dynamic presentation offers fresh perspectives on abstraction, bridging generations and cultural contexts in a continually evolving dialogue.Read more -
SHIFT: Abstract Transformations
Groupshow 3 October - 22 December 2024SHIFT: Abstract Transformations at Buysse GalleryRead more
Experience SHIFT, the latest exhibition at Buysse Gallery in Knokke, showcasing a transformative journey through the evolution of abstract art. Featuring a dynamic lineup of contemporary and historical abstract artists, the exhibition bridges two generations, from the tactile, impastoed works of Bram Bogart to the optical and conceptual explorations of artists like Cyrielle Gulacsy, Tom Van Puyvelde, and Lieven Deconinck.
Discover vibrant and thought-provoking works that explore the materiality of paint, the interplay of light and shadow, and the dynamic possibilities of abstraction. SHIFT highlights artists such as Emanuel Seitz, Irina Ojovan, Damien Bénéteau, Stien Bekaert, and Tycjan Knut, each bringing unique perspectives to the dialogue between form, color, and texture.
This exhibition celebrates the transformative potential of abstract art, offering viewers an engaging experience of shifting perceptions and artistic innovation. Visit Buysse Gallery to immerse yourself in a curated exploration of modern and contemporary abstraction, where art challenges boundaries and evokes profound emotional and intellectual responses.
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Emanuel Seitz
Summer Hues 1 August - 29 September 2024Emanuel Seitz: “Summer Hues” at Buysse GalleryRead more
Explore Emanuel Seitz’s abstract paintings that emphasize form, color, and composition through dynamic brushstrokes and nuanced color fields. Summer Hues marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in Belgium, showcasing his meticulous use of pigments and minimalist approach.
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Interview: Emanuel Seitz
A Conversation about personal and conceptual development. 15 December 2025Interview with Emanuel Seitz – Discover the artist’s evolving abstraction, studio insights, and the recurring role of the stripe in his practice. Published by Buysse Gallery, 2025.Read more -
Editorial: Magazine 2024
Annual Overview 14 December 2024Discover the first issue of Buysse Gallery’s Magazine, offering an insider’s view into our curatorial process and featured exhibitions. Explore how we merge artistic passion with market insight to shape the contemporary art scene from our base in Knokke, Belgium.Read more -
Press: COLLECT Magazine
SHIFT: Abstract Transformations: Groupshow 1 October 2024SHIFT: Abstract Transformations Expanded (26 December 2024 – 2 February 2025) at Buysse Gallery explores the evolution of abstraction through works by Bram Bogart, Chiharu Shiota, Cyrielle Gulacsy, and others. Curated by Louis Buysse, it bridges historical and contemporary practices.Read more
Selected Public Collections
Lenbachhaus, Munich
Seitz’s work is included in the collection of the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, a major institution for German modern and contemporary painting. His inclusion marks a critical institutional recognition within the city where he lives and works.
Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich
As one of the most significant contemporary art museums in Germany, the Pinakothek’s acquisition of Seitz’s work reflects a strong resonance between his approach to abstraction and the museum’s focus on postwar and contemporary painting.
Sammlung Reinhard Ernst, Wiesbaden
This collection, with a focus on international abstraction, includes works by Agnes Martin, Sean Scully, and Gerhard Richter. Seitz’s presence situates him within a lineage of abstract painters working with material precision and chromatic clarity.
Pérez Art Museum, Miami
Seitz’s inclusion in this major US museum collection signals a growing international interest in his practice. The museum’s focus on global contemporary dialogues gives new context to Seitz’s European roots and material sensibility.
Corporate and Institutional Collections
- Munich Re, Munich
- Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt
- Arthena Foundation, Düsseldorf
- European Patent Office, The Hague
Private Collections (Selection)
- Sammlung Miettinen, Berlin
- Sammlung Schürmann, Herzogenrath
- The Rachofsky Collection, Dallas
- Various private collections in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Denmark, the UK, and the United States.
Selected Publications & Mentions
- Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover: Back to Black – Die Farbe Schwarz in der aktuellen Malerei, 2008
- Favoriten 08, Lenbachhaus, Munich
- Das Herr Winkelmann-Stipendium, Munich
- Exhibition catalogues with Galerie Christine Mayer, Galerie Jacky Strenz, and Galería Ehrhardt Flórez
- Interview: “A Conversation with Emanuel Seitz,” conducted by Louis Buysse, Buysse Gallery, 2025