Ohne Titel (Untitled)

1961–1967

The Düsseldorf Art Academy

At twenty Polke entered the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where in 1961–1967 he studied under Karl Otto Götz and Gerhard Hoehme and was deeply influenced by his teacher Joseph Beuys.

1963

Founds “Capitalist Realism”

In 1963 Polke, with Gerhard Richter and Konrad Fischer (who worked as an artist under the name Konrad Lueg), founded “Capitalist Realism” — an anti-style that appropriated the shorthand of advertising, mocking both the Socialist Realism his family had fled and the consumerist “doctrine” of the West.

11 – 26 May 1963

The “Demonstrative Exhibition” in a shop

From 11 to 26 May 1963 Polke showed work with Manfred Kuttner, Konrad Lueg and Gerhard Richter in the “Demonstrative Ausstellung”, a store-front exhibition in Düsseldorf. His first exhibition took place in 1963.

1966

First one-man show, in West Berlin

In 1966 Polke had his first one-person show at the Galerie René Block in West Berlin.

1975

Painting prize at the São Paulo Biennial

For the 13th São Paulo Biennial Polke made a series of ten large photographic images, and he won the Biennial's prize for painting.

1986

The Golden Lion at Venice for “The Alchemist's Cauldron”

In the German pavilion at the 42nd Venice Biennale Polke painted an abstract composition on the wall in a special mixture whose colours changed with the light, weather, humidity and the number of visitors: a full room turned the wall blue, gathering clouds turned it pink. For “The Alchemist's Cauldron” the jury gave him the Golden Lion for painting, shared with Frank Auerbach.