Volker Hermes Debuts First New York Solo Show at DeVore44
Volker Hermes, a German artist, is showcasing his inaugural solo exhibition in New York titled "Volker Hermes: Hidden Portraits" at DeVore44, located at 44 East 65th Street, until October 29, 2026. This exhibition highlights archival pigment prints in which Hermes has digitally modified historical portraits, a method he has been refining since 2007. With a background in philosophy and a painting degree from Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Hermes offers a critique of elite portraiture and the historical limitations placed on women. Featured pieces include Hidden Nattier VII (2026), Hidden David (2026), Hidden Hals X (2025), and Hidden Reynolds II (2019). The gallery, curated by Loie DeVore, presents Hermes's works alongside Old Master paintings, and the exhibition catalog contains his insights on each piece.
Key facts
- "Volker Hermes: Hidden Portraits" is on view through October 29, 2026, at DeVore44, 44 East 65th Street, New York.
- It is Volker Hermes's first solo show in New York.
- Hermes began developing his digital image-editing technique around 2007, using portraits found online to create archival pigment prints.
- He studied philosophy before painting at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
- Hermes does not repaint the originals; he only iterates elements already present, stating "Nothing is added to the paintings."
- Gallerist Loie DeVore arranged the space partly as a salon, with textile expert Cora Ginsberg collaborating on the display of laces, jacquards, and accessories alongside Old Master paintings.
- Works in the show include Hidden Nattier VII (2026), Hidden David (2026), Hidden Hals X (2025), and Hidden Reynolds II (2019).
- Hermes comments on AI and visual literacy: "We can't hinder AI coming into our lives, but we can look closely and we can judge and we can say, 'This is made up; this is not reality.'"
Entities
Artists
- Volker Hermes
- Jean Marc Nattier
- Jacques-Louis David
- Frans Hals
- Joshua Reynolds
- Rembrandt
- Jean Baudrillard
- Cleopatra
- Madame Récamier
- Lady Selina Skipworth
- Juliette Récamier
Institutions
- DeVore44
- Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- The Louvre
- Mauritshuis
- The Frick Collection
- Vogue
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Düsseldorf
- Germany
- Paris
- France
- The Hague
- Netherlands