Biography

Jessica Backhaus was born in Cuxhaven, Germany in 1970 and grew up in an artistic family. At the age of sixteen, she moved to Paris, where she later studied photography and visual communications. Here she met Gisele Freund in 1992, who became her mentor. In 1995 her passion for photography drew her to New York, where she assisted photographers, pursued her own projects and lived until 2009.
Jessica Backhaus is regarded as one of the most distinguished voices in contemporary photography in Germany today. Her work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, MARTa Herford and the Kunsthalle Erfurt. To date, she has ten publications to her name; Jesus and the Cherries, 2005, What Still Remains, 2008, One Day in November, 2008, I Wanted to See the World, 2010, One day – 10 photographers, 2010, Once, still and forever, 2012, Six degrees of freedom, 2015, A TRILOGY, 2017, Far away but close, 2019 and Cut Outs, 2021. All books are published by Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg except Far away but close that was published by Another Place Press, Scotland.Her work is also featured in the book: Women Photographers by Boris Friedewald (Prestel Verlag 2014 and 2018).
Her photographs are in many prominent art collections including Taunus Sparkasse, Germany, Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany, ING Art Collection, Belgium, Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA and the Margulies Collection, Miami, USA.
Jessica Backhaus is represented by Robert Morat Galerie in Berlin, Galerie Anja Knoess in Cologne, Petra Becker/ International Art Bridge in Meggen, Robert Klein Gallery in Boston, Bridgette Mayer Gallery in Philadelphia, MiCamera Gallery in Milan, Carlos Carvalho ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA in Lisbon and Wouter van Leeuwen Gallery in Amsterdam.

 

Videos, Films

2022 – Jessica Backhaus I CUT OUTS, a video by Prospekto Galerija, Vilnius, Lithuania.
2021 – Elles X Paris Photo : Jessica Backhaus, a video by Fisheye Le Mag, Paris, France.
2021 – Künstler-Interview mit Jessica Backhaus, a video by Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung, Berlin, Germany.
2013 –CC Contemporary I Jessica Backhaus ~ Gisèle Freund I Kunsthalle Erfurt, a film by Marcus Grysczok, Erfurt, Germany.
2012 –WONDER Jessica Backhaus - FOAM, a film by Willem Aerts, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

 

Solo Exhibitions

2022 - “Cut Outs”, Prospekto Galerija, Vilnius, Lithuania.
2022 - “About Color”, Carlos Carvalho Contemporanea, Lisbon, Portugal.
2022 – "Cut Outs", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2022 – "Cut Outs", Goethe Institut, Nancy, France.
2022 – "Cut Outs", Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, Germany.
2021 – "Cut Outs", Photo Basel, Robert Morat Galerie, Basel, Switzerland.
2021 – “Cut Outs”, Photo London, Robert Morat Galerie, London, UK.
2021 – "Cut Outs", The Eye Sees, Robert Morat Galerie, Arles, France.
2021 – "Blending Worlds", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2019 – "A TRILOGY", MiCamera/Mutty, Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy.
2019 – "A TRILOGY", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2018 – "Eternity in an hour", Goethe-Institut, Paris, France.
2018 – "A TRILOGY and six degrees of freedom", Design Offices, Frankfurt, Germany.
2018 – "A TRILOGY and six degrees of freedom", Copenhagen Photo Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2018 – "A TRILOGY and six degrees of freedom", Tschick Galerie, Linz, Austria.
2018 – "A TRILOGY", Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, Germany.
2018 – "A TRILOGY", Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie, Darmstadt, Germany.
2018 – "A TRILOGY and six degrees of freedom", Carlos Carvalho Arte Contemporanea, Lisbon, Portugal.
2017 – "Rinascita" – Jessica Backhaus, Fortezza del Girifalco, Cortona, Italy.
2017 – "Memory", Centrum Kultury Zamek, Poznan, Poland.
2017 – "Six degrees of freedom" in cooperation with Petra Becker/International Art Bridge at Ballwanz Lebenswelten, Frankfurt, Germany.
2017 – "Six degrees of freedom", Wouter van Leeuwen Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2017 – "Six degrees of freedom", Micamera, Milan, Italy.
2016 – "Six degrees of freedom", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2016 – "Six degrees of freedom", Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, Germany.
2014 – "Once, still and forever", Micamera, Milan, Italy.
2013 – "Once, still and forever", Stieglitz 19, Antwerp, Belgium.
2013 – "Once, still and forever", Robert Klein Gallery, Boston, USA.
2013 – "Classic-Contemporary", Kunsthalle Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany.
2013 – "Once, still and forever", Robert Morat Galerie, Hamburg, Germany.
2013 – "Once, still and forever", Wouter van Leeuwen Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2013 – "Once, still and forever", PARIS PHOTO LA, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Los Angeles, USA.
2012 – “Once, still and forever”, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2012 – “One day in November” and “What still remains”, Stieglitz 19, Antwerp, Belgium.
2012 – Artist presentation, 10 year survey, Micamera, Milan, Italy.
2011 – “I wanted to see the world”, Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg.
2011 – “I wanted to see the world & New Works”, Robert Morat Galerie, Hamburg, Germany.
2011 – Artist presentation, 10 year survey, Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, Germany.
2010 – “I wanted to see the world” Laurence Miller Gallery, New York, United States.
2010 – “Die Welt wird schöner mit jedem Tag” & “All about my mother”, European Month of Photography Berlin, Vice Versa Showroom, Berlin, Germany.
2009 – “One day in November” & “What Still Remains”, Fotohof, Salzburg, Austria.
2009 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, “Transphotographiques 2009”, Maison de la Photographie, Lille, France.
2009 – “What Still Remains” & “One Day in November”, Robert Morat Galerie, Hamburg, Germany.
2009 – “What Still Remains” & “Jesus and the Cherries”, Städtische Galerie, Waldkraiburg, Germany.
2008 – “What Still Remains” & “Jesus and the Cherries”, Galerie im Schloß Borbeck, Essen, Germany.
2006 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, Month of Photography, Krakow, Poland.
2006 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, Kommunale Galerie, Leinwandhaus, Frankfurt, Germany.
2006 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York, United States.
2005 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, “Lichtwiesen", Darmstädter Tage der Fotografie, Germany.
2005 – “Jesus and the Cherries”, Kirsten Roschlaub Gallery, Triennial of Photography, Hamburg, Germany.

 

Group Exhibitions

2022 - PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2022 - Drawing Room Lisboa Art Fair, Carlos Carvalho Contemporanea booth, Lisbon, Portugal.
2022 - Enter Art Fair, Galerie Anja Knoess booth, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2022 - ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Anja Knoess booth, Karlsruhe, Germany.
2022 - Really Abstract?, Arendt & Art, Arendt House, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
2021 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2021 - "Seestücke/ Facts and Fiction", Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung, Berlin, Germany.
2020 - "Seestücke/ Facts and Fiction", Museum Kunst der Westküste, Föhr, Germany.
2019 – Photo London, Carlos Carvalho Arte Contemporanea, London, England.
2019 – "Aufgeblüht und abgelichtet: Blumen in der Fotografie", Galerie Stihl, Waiblingen, Germany.
2019 – ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Anja Knoess booth, Karlsruhe, Germany.
2019 – "On the road", Axel Obiger projectroom, Berlin, Germany.
2019 – "We love photography", Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, The Cube, Eschborn, Germany.
2018 – "Aussicht-Einsicht", Museum Sinclair-Haus, Bad Homburg, Germany.
2018 – "Earth, Wind and Water", Robert Klein Gallery, Boston, United States.
2018 - "PHOTO BASEL", Carlos Carvalho Arte Contemporanea booth, Basel, Switzerland.
2018 – "The Eye is the Centre-Magnify me" Anke Roder and her choice, De Ketelfactory, Schiedam, The Netherlands.
2017 - "Blitzeis 2", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2017 – Paris Photo, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2017 – "Traces of the Material World", Happy Lucky No.1, Brooklyn, USA.
2017 – "Prelude to a Landscape", Carlos Carvalho Arte Contemporanea, Lisbon, Portugal.
2017 – Art Rotterdam, Wouter van Leeuwen Gallery booth, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
2016 – "Blitzeis", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2016 – UNSEEN PHOTO FAIR, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2016 – "The Female Portrait", Art Collection Deutsche Börse, The Cube, Eschborn, Germany.
2015 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2015 – "Picturalite et graphisme", "I wanted to see the world", Clervaux-Cite de l'image, Luxembourg.
2015 – "Experience of Place", Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, United States.
2015 – "Heiter bis wolkig", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2014 – "Heimat? Osteuropa in der zeitgenössischen Fotografie", Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie, Regensburg, Germany.
2014 – "Landschaft im Dekolleté- Fenster als Element und Metapher, Kunst-und Kulturstiftung Opelvillen, Rüsselsheim, Germany.
2014 – "3 Positionen aus Berlin", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2013 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Klein Gallery booth, Paris, France.
2013 – UNSEEN PHOTO FAIR, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2013 – "Summertime…and the living is easy", Galerie Clairefontaine, Luxembourg, Luzembourg.
2013 – "Showstoppers", Robert Klein Gallery, Ars Libri, Boston, United States.
2013 – Art Brussels, Stieglitz 19 Gallery booth, Brussels, Belgium.
2013 – Art Rotterdam, Wouter van Leeuwen Gallery booth, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
2013 – "Do you read me?", Diane Kruse Galerie, Hamburg, Germany.
2013 – “Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stillleben-Fotografie”, Kunstsammlungen, Zwickau, Germany.
2013 – “Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stillleben-Fotografie”, Städt. Kramer-Museum, Kempen, Germany.
2013 – “Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stillleben-Fotografie”, Stadtmuseum Siegburg, Siegburg, Germany.
2013 – “Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stillleben-Fotografie”, Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen, Germany.
2013 – “Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stillleben-Fotografie”, Museum Ratingen, Ratingen, Germany.
2012 – Art Miami/Context, Robert Klein Gallery Booth, Miami, USA.
2012 – “I wanted to see the world", Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, United States.
2012 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Klein Gallery booth and Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2012 – “Stillleben. Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stilllebenfotografie", Herforder Kunstverein, Herford, Germany.
2012 – “Accrochage”, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2012 – “Beauty-Flowers in Contemporary Photography”, Tokyo Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan.
2012 – “Atelier + Küche - Labore der Sinne”, Marta Herford, Herford, Germany.
2012 – AIPAD Photography show, Robert Klein Gallery booth, New York, United States.
2012 – "L'espace de l'autre", Centre d’art et photographie de Lectoure, Lectoure, France.
2011 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2011 – ART FAIR 21, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2011 – “Through the Plain Camera: Small and Shapely Pleasures in Contemporary Photography”, Haverford College, Haverford, United States.
2011 – “Blumen-zeitgenössische Fotografie”, Alfred Erhardt Stiftung, Berlin, Germany.
2011 – “Past, Present, Future III”, Laurence Miller Gallery, New York, United States.
2011 – “Three photographers”, Gloriapalast, Cuxhaven, Germany.
2011 – “Urban Colours”, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2011 – ART CHICAGO, Laurence Miller Gallery booth, New York, United States.
2011 – AIPAD Photography show, Laurence Miller Gallery booth, New York, United States.
2010 – ART MIAMI, Laurence Miller Gallery booth, Miami, United States.
2010 – “Selected works”, MARGULIES WAREHOUSE, Miami, United States.
2010 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Laurence Miller Gallery booth, Paris, France.
2010 – ART FAIR 21, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2010 – “Lieblingswerke”, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Heidelberg, Germany.
2010 – “Summertime”, Robert Morat Galerie, Hamburg, Germany.
2010 – “Past, Present, Future II”, Laurence Miller Gallery, New York, United States.
2010 – Alain Gutharc Galerie, Paris, France.
2010 – Madrid Photo, Laurence Miller Gallery booth, Madrid, Spain.
2010 – “Structures", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2010 – “Frozen in Tension", Alexander Tutsek Stiftung, Munich, Germany.
2009 – “Was kommt, was geht", Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany.
2009 – PARIS PHOTO, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Paris, France.
2009 – “The Beauty of the Mistake", Puppenhaus, Lisbon, Portugal.
2009 – “The Tree", James Cohan Gallery Shanghai, Shanghai, China.
2009 – AIPAD Photography show, Robert Morat Galerie booth, New York, United States.
2008 – Photo Miami, Art & Photography Fair, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Miami, United States.
2008 – Berliner Liste, Art & Photography Fair, Robert Morat Galerie booth, Berlin, Germany.
2008 – "One Day in November", Photomeetings Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
2008 – “Photo50: Untitled Tales", London Art Fair, London, United Kingdom.
2007 – Art Collection Deutsche Börse-New Acquisitions, Frankfurt, Germany.
2006 – “The Presence of Absence", Gallery W52, New York, United States.
2006 – The Photographer's Gallery, London, United Kingdom.
2005 – “After the Fact", Berlin Photography Festival, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany.
2005 – Schweppes Photographic Portrait Prize, The Lowry, Manchester, United Kingdom.
2004 – Schweppes Photographic Portrait Prize, National Portrait Gallery, London, United Kingdom.
2001 – “On the road" sponsored by Audi, Stockholm, Sweden.
1998 – John Kobal Portrait Award, Midland Art Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
1998 – John Kobal Portrait Award, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
1998 – John Kobal Portrait Award, The Royal Photographic Society, Bath, United Kingdom.
1997 – John Kobal Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London, United Kingdom.
1997 – “Focus New York" Space Untitled Gallery, New York, United States.

 

Collections

Taunus Sparkasse, Bad Homburg, Germany
Art Collection Deutsche Börse, Germany
Arendt Art Collection, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Margulies Collection, Miami, Florida, United States
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, United States
Fred and Laura Ruth Bidwell Collection, Akron, Ohio, United States
ING Art Collection, Belgium
Fonds National d'Art Contemporain (FNAC), France
Artothèque de Passac, France
Alexander Tutsek Foundation, Germany
Art Collection, Cleveland Clinic, United States
Private Collections, Europe and the United States

 

Lectures, Teaching, Artist Talks & Workshops

Workshop, The Palm Tree Workshops, Santorini, Greece, October 2022
Workshop, FFF Akademie, Frankfurt, Germany, September 2022
Artist Talk, NIDA. Meeting Photography, Nida, Lithuania, September 2022
Workshop, NIDA. Meeting Photography, Nida, Lithuania, September 2022
Workshop, The Palmtree Workshops, Santorini, Greece, October 2021
Workshop, Prager Fotoschule, Linz, Austria, September 2020
Workshop, MiCamera with Mutty, Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy, May 2019
Fototreff, Artist Talk with Matthias Harder, Berlin, Germany, May 2019
Artist Talk and Lecture, Associazione SHOOT, Verona, Italy, February 2019
Artist Talk with Remi Coignet, Goethe-Institute, Paris, France, December 2018
Artist Talk, THE EYES, Grand Palais, Paris Photo, Paris, France, November 2018
Artist Talk, Copenhagen Photo Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 2018
Lecture, Prager Fotoschule, Linz, Austria, 2018
Artist Talk and Book Presentation, Kehrer Galerie, Berlin, Germany, Dec. 2017
Artist Talk with Agata Toromanoff, Centrum Kultury Zamek, Poznan, Poland, March 2017
Artist Talk with Petra Becker, Ballwanz Lebenswelten, Frankfurt, Germany, March 2017
Micamera, Milan, Italy, Jan. 2017
Artist Talk with Ann-Christin Bertrand, Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, October 2016
Artist Talk with Gabriele Conrath-Scholl, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, Germany, Oct. 2016
Artist Talk with April Gertler, Picture Berlin, Berlin, Germany, July 2016
Artist Talk with Lia Wolf, Lia Wolf Cabinett, Vienna, Austria, April 2016
Artist Talk with Thomas Gust, BILDBAND, Berlin, Germany, March 2016
Micamera, Milan, Italy, Feb. 2015
Centre National de l'Audiovisuel, Dudelange, Luxembourg, Jan/Feb. 2015
Photo Workshop New York, Berlin, Germany, Oct/Nov. 2014
Artist Talk with Beate Kemfert, Kunst-und Kulturstiftung Opelvillen, Rüsselsheim, Germany, July 2014
Design Akademie Berlin, Berlin, Germany, June 2014
Micamera, Milan, Italy, March 2014
Micamera, Milan, Italy, Feb. 2014
Artist Talk with Kai Uwe Schierz, Kunsthalle Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany, Oct. 2013
Artist Talk with Anja Knoess, Projektraum Knut Osper, Cologne, Germany, Oct. 2012
Micamera, Milan, Italy, March 2012
Artist Talk with Karen Fromm, Robert Morat Galerie, Hamburg, Germany, May 2011
Artist Talk with Dr. Matthias Harder, Robert Morat Galerie, Berlin, Germany, April 2011
Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Stuttgart, Germany, April – July 2010
Fotohof, Salzburg, Austria, June 2009
Kassel Photobook Festival, Kassel, Germany, May 2009
Haus der Photographie, Hamburg, Germany, March 2009
International Center of Photography, New York, USA, Feb. 2009
Geneva University of Art and Design, Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 2008
Photomeetings, Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Sept. 2008
International Center of Photography, New York, USA, Oct. 2007

 

Publications

"Cut Outs", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, 2021
"Far away but close", Another Place Press, Scottish Highlands, 2019
"Women Photographers", Boris Friedewald, Prestel, 2018
"Aussicht – Einsicht, Blick durchs Fenster", Hirmer, 2018
"A TRILOGY", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin, 2017
"Rinascita", Aboca Publishing, Sansepolcro, Italy, 2017
"six degrees of freedom", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin, 2015
"Kunst? Ja, Kunst! Die Sehnsucht der Bilder", Jean-Christophe Ammann, Westend Verlag, Frankfurt, 2014
"Women Photographers", Boris Friedewald, Prestel, 2014
"The Photographers Sketchbook, Thames & Hudson, London, 2014
"Heimat? Osteuropa in der zeitgenössischen Fotografie", Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, 2014
"Still Leben, Carl Schuch und die zeitgenössische Stilllebenfotografie, Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld, 2013
"Once, still and forever", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin, 2012
"Atelier + Kitchen = Laboratories of the senses", Hatje Cantz, 2012
"One day - 10 Photographers", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin, 2010
"Die Welt wird schöner mit jedem Tag" Edition, Revolver Publishing, Berlin, 2010
"I wanted to see the world", Laurence Miller Gallery, New York & Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin, 2010
"Flower Power", Matthias Harder, Dumont Verlag, Cologne, 2010
"One day in November", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, 2008
"What Still Remains", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, 2008
"XL Photography 3", Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern, 2007
"Jesus and the Cherries", Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg, 2005

 

Prizes

2021 – Paris Photo/Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Award; “CUT OUTS”, shortlisted
2021 - Deutsche Börse Photography Prize; Nominated
2021 – Arles Author’s Book Award; “CUT OUTS”, shortlisted
2018 - German Photo Book Award, Silver, "A TRILOGY"
2018 – Arles Author Book Award; "A TRILOGY", shortlisted
2013 – Welde Kunstpreis; Nominated
2013 - Selected title "Once, still and forever" German Photo Book Award
2013 – Selected title "Once, still and forever" PDN Photo Annual
2010 – Deutsche Börse Photography Prize; Nominated
2010 – Selected title "One day in November" PDN Photo Annual
2009 - Selected title "What still remains" German Photo Book Award
2008 – John Gutmann Photography Fellowship Award; Nominated
2006 – Selected title "Jesus and the Cherries" German Photo Book Award
2006 - International Photography Awards, IPA; Honorable Mention for "Jesus and the Cherries"

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