Ute Bertog (1970, Germany) is a St. Paul based visual artist, who explores the relationship between language and its many representations. In 1998 she resettled in the US from her native Germany to pursue a career in the arts. She holds degrees in marketing and economics as well as a BFA in painting from the Minneapolis College of Art. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally including the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, grayDuck Gallery in Austin, TX, the Soap Factory, SooVisual Art Center both in Minneapolis, MN, and the Rochester Art Center in Rochester, MN. She is affiliated with Rosalux Gallery in Minneapolis, MN.
Statement
In her practice Ute Bertog looks to establish relationships between things. This may pertain to colors, lines and shapes in a painting, as well as to whatever she chooses to bring into its context. She is drawn to pliable material for its ability to continuously yield to intuitive adjustments before time will fix it into place, be it oil paint, clay or words. Not seeing herself as a writer, she nevertheless understands the process of painting very much akin to writing, a process of constant editing and change, yet without the goal of creating legible content. Instead she is reaching to create improvised abstract patterns that go against any sense of predictability or familiarity, trusting that eventually something meaningful will be said however ineloquently, however stumbled and stuttered, its very own syntax mangled and corrupted. Her approach is surely informed by her experience as a non-native speaker, which has afforded her a heightened awareness of language as an abstract construct. Meaning then becomes free-floating and easily separated from the sound and visual form of language. This is where imagination and play are able to readily fill in any gaps.
CV
EDUCATION
2005 Bachelor of Fine Art, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN, emphasis on painting
1997 MBA, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany with an emphasis on marketing and economics
EXHIBITIONS (*solo shows)
2024
Double Deuce, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
2023
Common Ground, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
The End of Painting curated by Nathaniel Flink, NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory, Minneapolis, MN.
2022
Writing, Gesture, Shape: a group exhibition of 9 artists and 4 writers, curated by Mary Bergs, Rountree Gallery, Platteville, WI.
2021
Singing The Tune Without Words: Ute Bertog & Tara Costello, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Analog, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2020
Indeterminate Spaces, Intuitive Places: Abstract Painting Now at James May Gallery Algoma, WI (due to Covid 19 exhibition will be online only) featuring works by Emmett Johns, Lisa Bergant Koi, Kayla Plosz Antiel and Ute Bertog.
Borrowed Light, Center Art Gallery, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI. Curated by Cherith Lundin with works by Mara Baker, Ute Bertog, Cherith Lundin, Paula McCartney and Astri Snodgrass
2019
Lost and Found, Rosalux Showcase Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
Driving South in a Mostly Straight Line, ICOSA, Austin, TX
One of many awkward feelings, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
2017
Voiceatscript, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
15, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Sequential, Gallery 71, Edina, MN
Yeah Maybe #13: One Day After, One Year Later, Yeah Maybe, Minneapolis, MN
2016
Still the Night, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
The Secret Life of Words, William Whipple Gallery, Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall, MN *
SSA Annual Exhibition, National Galleries of Scotland, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, Scotland
2015
Et al., TuckUnder Projects, Minneapolis, MN *
Chaos Management, Waiting Room, Minneapolis, MN
Reading the Story, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN *
War with the Newst, Park Square Theater, St. Paul, MN *
5 foot show, Gallery 360, Minneapolis, MN
2014
Closing/Opening, Shoebox Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Do it, Denler Art Gallery, Saint Paul, MN
Open Door 10, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Weird Neighbor, Soo Local, Minneapolis, MN
2013
You are playin’ author, Kiehle Gallery, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN *
Painter, Painter, Painter, Painter, Painter, VidTiger Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Delineation, MCAD @ BI Worldwide Gallery, Edina, MN
2012
Groupshow at Barnes & Thornburg, Minneapolis, MN
2011
Daily Selections and Rewriting, Rochester Art Center, Rochester, MN *
Readings, Gallery One at TractorWorks Building, Minneapolis, MN *
Textworks, Gallery One at BMW in Minnetonka, MN *
Departure, grayDUCK Gallery, Austin, Texas
2010
Untitled, Kiehle Gallery, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN
GM 10: A Theory of Values, The Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN
Untitled 7, SOO Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN
The Space between us, Art House Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Flat Line, Sellout Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Foot in the Door 4, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
Altered Pages at Altered Esthetics, Minneapolis, MN
2009
Sketchbookproject, Art House Gallery, Atlanta,
Paradigm Shift: MCAD Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2008
61st Juried Exhibition, Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City, IA
Art on the Plains X, Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND,
Summer Invitational, Thomas Barry Fine Arts, Minneapolis, MN
North of the 45th, DeVos Art Museum, Marquette, MI
Storage, Gallery 0, Midway Contemporary Art, Minneapolis, MN
Midwest Sanctuary, Altered Esthetics, Minneapolis, MN
2007
NAFSA Annual Convention, Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
2005
Senior Show, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Merits Show, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Made at MCAD, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
LECTURES
2015
Conversation on painting: Melissa Loop & Ute Bertog, Rosalux Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Visiting Artist, Saint Cloud State University, Saint Cloud, MN
2014
Participant in Painting and Agency panel discussion facilitated by Jehra Patrick in conjunction with her exhibition Courtesy of _ in Minneapolis, MN
2013
Visiting Artist, MCAD, Minneapolis, MN
Guest Lecturer, Kiehle Gallery, Saint Cloud State University, Saint Cloud, MN
Visiting Artist. Facilitated Public Workshop: Studio Time with Ute Bertog. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
2012
Visiting Artist, MCAD, Minneapolis, MN