* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Hendrik Beikirch was born in Kassel, Germany and now works as freelance artist in Koblenz, Germany. He studied art at the University of Koblenz-Landau.
Hendrik explains his work by saying, “these faces are no one specific, and therefore, just recognizable. The anonymity of the portraits is of interest. Associations with individuals accessed from the mass are being opened. Everyone has something special, even though he is a little different from the next. A slightly different shade of color, in black and white, a personage as any other, but still themselves. The melancholy that the faces radiate is somehow comforting, and these places in the public space are exactly where they belong. These are portraits that do not try to thwart or break the mood of our cities, but share a silent companion with us. The portraits on the walls represent both the people behind them and those who populate the streets. Both get a face here.??”
"The monumental scale of Hendrik Beikirch’s portraits are extremely impressive. That’s not to take away from the simple beauty of his portraits though. He has a great drawing style that enables him to really capture the essence of his subjects, seemingly anonymous old men with weathered faces. At first glance it would seem he’s using graphite or charcoal, but it’s a mix of mediums like acrylic, ink and spray paint. I hope to see one of his enormous portraits someday. It would certainly be impressive to look up at a 50 foot high portrait."
