SOPHIE

The Sophie series comprises 25 etchings and was conceived as a character study of a single individual—a friend of the artist who also gave the series its name. In these works, the studio becomes a kind of laboratory: through variations in printing techniques, line work, and color application, the face is repeatedly reconfigured. Delicate lines meet strong colors, creating images in which each print develops its own visual and emotional atmosphere.

Each print is unique. Sophie appears in different emotional states, wearing varying clothing, and rendered through subtly different technical approaches. These deliberate variations invite viewers to discover multiple faces and temperaments within the portraits—even though they all depict the same person.

What begins as a study of a single individual gradually becomes a reflection on identity and changeability. Schütte demonstrates that a person cannot be reduced to a single, fixed appearance but instead contains many possible facets. In the Sophie series, the portrait thus becomes an open field of variation in which different moods, states, and roles overlap.

Schütte studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Gerhard Richter and has been internationally active since the 1980s. He first attracted major attention with his participation in the exhibition Westkunst. Numerous international exhibitions followed in cities such as New York, Rome, and Amsterdam. In 1987 he participated for the first time in the Skulptur Projekte Münster and later took part several times in the documenta in Kassel. Major solo exhibitions have been held at institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, the Museo Reina Sofía, and the Serpentine Gallery. His award at the Venice Biennale in 2005 ultimately confirmed his outstanding position within contemporary international art.