The Dresden Academy of Fine Arts (HfBK Dresden) presents the exhibition "ALL SO BEAUTIFULLY COLORFUL HERE!" in the Octagon, a comprehensive retrospective of the Dresden painter and graphic artist Holger John.
The exhibition opens on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 7 p.m. Speakers include Prof. Oliver Kossack (Rector of the HfBK Dresden), Barbara Klepsch (Saxon State Minister for Culture and Tourism), and Prof. Dr. Raimund Stecker (art historian and curator of the exhibition).
Following the opening, a Walpurgis Night party (free admission) will take place, featuring a live concert by LUYS & Band (Dream-Rock, Leipzig) and a DJ set by Otis "Oski" Hagen Chevalier.
Exhibition
With "EVERYTHING'S SO BEAUTIFULLY COLORFUL HERE!" Holger John presents the first retrospective of his vibrant works on paper. The exhibition unites paintings and drawings spanning 66 years and offers a dual perspective: a personal look back at John's artistic career and a reflection on the perception of the GDR and the view of the "colorful West" before and during the fall of the Berlin Wall. John presents his own abstract and figurative series of paintings, lively children's drawings, ceramics he created together with Hedwig Bollhagen, photographs from 1952-55, snapshots from his student days at the HfBK (University of Fine Arts) of Carnival with Lissy John and Manfred Böttcher, and a fencing duel between Claus Weidensdorfer and Gerhard Richter in the academy's courtyard. In addition, artworks by his mentors, teachers, colleagues, fellow students, and pupils will be on display.
John will also be showing abstract and figurative series of paintings, lively children's drawings, ceramics he created together with Hedwig Bollhagen, photographs from 1952-55, and snapshots from his student days at the HfBK (University of Fine Arts) of Carnival with Lissy John and Manfred Böttcher, as well as a fencing duel between Claus Weidensdorfer and Gerhard Richter in the academy's courtyard. The works are characterized by themes such as upheaval, opening up, and the East-West experience—an artistic "dance on the partially fallen wall." At the same time, they reflect John's time studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts (HfBK Dresden) as well as his numerous encounters and friendships with influential artistic figures.
Holger John himself describes his attitude as follows:
"I haven't even begun!—I'm my own opening act."
This attitude is reflected not only in his artistic work but also in his highly acclaimed exhibition projects and productions. Theater director Tobias Wellemeyer emphasizes precisely this special connection between artistic ambition and public impact:
"Despite their enormous commercial success, Holger John's productions and art events are not mass-produced and remain a very special artistic experience, not least because of their lighthearted ambivalence. I think that his aesthetic considerations will have a bright future."
Artist and Context
Born in 1960 in the Havelland region of Germany, the son of graphic artist Joachim John, Holger John received early artistic training. After an apprenticeship as a potter and studies in applied graphics in Berlin, he enrolled at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1988, where he studied painting and graphic arts and later worked as an artistic assistant.
In the 1990s, he worked as an assistant to Jörg Immendorff, among others. His work has been exhibited internationally, including in Berlin, Cologne, Basel, Rotterdam, Oslo, and Istanbul. Alongside his own artistic practice, John became a key figure in the Dresden art scene.
As an impresario, he shaped legendary university festivals and cultural formats such as the Spring Salon, the "Imaginary Museum," and the "Checkered Cat" festival. His projects significantly contributed to establishing Dresden as an international art city.
In 2013, he founded his own gallery in Dresden's Baroque Quarter, and in 2017, he was awarded the Arras Art Prize.
