Christoph Niemann. Marginal notes

He regularly draws cover illustrations for The New Yorker, has 1.1 million followers on Instagram », and Netflix has dedicated an entire episode of the series Abstract: The Art of Design » to him: Christoph Niemann. Since 2023, his 50-metre-long mural Current Lines has adorned the exterior façade of the Horst Janssen Museum. Now the art of Christoph Niemann (born 1970) can finally be seen at the Horst Janssen Museum in the form of a major exhibition running from 15 November 2025 to 17 May 2026.

The museum presents series of works by the internationally active illustrator and graphic designer on two floors (700 square metres). These include well-known series such as Sunday Sketches, in which Christoph Niemann uses drawings to create a motivic alienation based on photographs of everyday objects. The Photo Drawings are also included. Here, photographic motifs captured by the artist on his travels are reinterpreted or expanded with original ideas. 

The exhibition also features Niemann's colourful ink drawings, in which the artist uses minimal strokes and surfaces to create a sensual experience of bustling cities, barren landscapes and lush botany. Also on display are his screen prints, which appear almost painterly, and the linocuts from his ZOO series, as well as “applied” drawings, such as the cover designs for major international magazines.

Christoph Niemann repeatedly reflects on his own work and on creative work in general. He condenses complex questions visually and linguistically and gets to the heart of the matter. In doing so, he is cheerful, astute and witty, astonishing us with his minimalist drawings.

It is not only the diverse and high-calibre workshops in the supporting programme that invite visitors to get involved and be creative. In the exhibition, museum guests of all ages can also look forward to interactive works and games such as Christoph Niemann's Kid's App. Christoph Niemann. Marginal Notes is an exhibition that amazes visitors with all the things that drawing can do.

Curator: Jutta Moster-Hoos. Curatorial assistant: Antje Tietken.