“Sweet Harmony”: Exhibition by Philipp Stöckel at the KWS Art Lounge

Einbeck, October 13, 2026

His aspiration is maximum precision. Artist Philipp Stöckel sees himself as part of a “production chain” that completes his works, half human, half (printing) machine. The point of this meticulous artistic pursuit lies in allowing the smallest imperfections, such as running paint or subtle inaccuracies. They reveal human imperfection and disrupt the illusion of flawlessness. “Sweet Harmony” is the title of Philipp Stöckel’s exhibition, on view at the KWS Art Lounge in Tiedexer Straße, Einbeck, until October 31. As a representative of a young generation of contemporary painters, the Leipzig-based artist combines precise observation with experimental image-making, developing a distinctive visual language that moves between abstraction and representation.

On Wednesday, October 21, at 6:30 p.m., the KWS Art Lounge invites visitors to an artist talk with Philipp Stöckel, who will provide insights into his working methods and the background of the exhibition “Sweet Harmony.” A catalogue accompanying the exhibition has also been published, and the artist will be happy to sign copies for guests during the evening.

In his paintings, Philipp Stöckel explores the aspirations and ideals of a society shaped by digital imagery. The often blurred backgrounds of his works feature recurring motifs such as uniform swimming pools, deck chairs set before idyllic palm groves, or mountain peaks. These stereotypical vacation scenes are overlaid with icons, lettering, or pictograms created using stencils. Drawing from the endless stream of images on the internet, the artist digitally combines diverse motifs before translating them into his own visual language through a complex airbrush-based technique.

The 22 works exhibited at the KWS Art Lounge address themes such as self-optimization, perfectionism, and the pursuit of happiness. In his most recent works, the forms and rich colors of plants and flowers have increasingly come into focus, adding a fresh, vibrant, and sensual dimension to his artistic language. Among the large-format works on display are images of flocks of starlings set against a launching rocket and cheering crowds.

Philipp Stöckel digitally edits his chosen source material before transferring it onto wood or canvas in multiple overlapping layers. To do so, each image is separated into the four basic printing colors Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), and Key/Black (K), a process known as CMYK separation. This color separation method forms the basis of conventional digital printing. Stöckel imitates this mechanical printing process by individually applying each CMYK color layer to the canvas using airbrush techniques. During the process, he employs self-designed tools that allow him to create the controlled, linear stripes characteristic of his work, an effect that differs significantly from the soft gradients typically associated with airbrushing.

“Harmony does not emerge from perfection,” said Sebastian Talg, Member of the Executive Board at KWS, during the exhibition opening. Perfection alone does not create anything truly special. Rather, it is an individual signature and small imperfections that make something unique. Through his airbrush paintings, Philipp Stöckel transforms digital perfection into something handmade, turning technical precision into a form of human imperfection. “When opposing elements complement each other particularly well, that is when ‘sweet harmony’ arises,” Talg explained. He noted that this contrast also reflects modern plant breeding, which relies on data, genetics, digitalization, and highly advanced breeding technologies. “Yet in the end, we work with something that can never be fully planned or standardized: nature and life.”

“As cheerful as Philipp Stöckel’s works may appear at first glance, the precise visual mechanisms embedded within them reveal the mental constructs and categories through which people sometimes stubbornly attempt to overcome unchangeable realities,” said Alexander Leinemann, art historian from Münster, at the exhibition opening. “Philipp Stöckel uses the appeal of surface beauty to activate familiar patterns of perception and then immediately unsettle them. Blurred areas, disruptions, and shifts in meaning prevent definitive interpretation and encourage viewers to continuously question their own perception.”

Born in Eutin in 1993, Philipp Stöckel studied Painting and Graphic Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig (HGB Leipzig), completing his diploma in 2021. Since 2019, he has regularly participated in exhibitions throughout Germany. His works have been shown in Leipzig, Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, and Erfurt, including the solo exhibition feedback loop (2023) at Galerie Kleindienst in Leipzig. For his artistic achievements, he received a working grant from the Stiftung Kunstfonds as part of the “Neustart Kultur” program, as well as support through the gopea art funding initiative.

The Art Lounge by KWS at Tiedexer Straße 20 in Einbeck is open Thursdays and Fridays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. and
Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Admission is free.

The exhibition “Sweet Harmony” remains on view until October 31.
Visitors are especially encouraged to attend the artist talk on October 21 at 6:30 p.m..

Image author: Florian Spieker
Use of images: Use permitted with reference to the source for editorial contributions about KWS. Commercial disclosure to third parties is not permitted

> Click here for the exhibition

About KWS
KWS is one of the world's leading plant breeding companies. Around 5,200 employees* in more than 70 countries generated sales of around EUR 1.63 billion in fiscal year 2025/2026. KWS has been managed independently and independently as a family-owned company for 170 years. The focus is on plant breeding and the production and sale of sugar beet, corn, grain, vegetables, rapeseed and sunflower seeds. KWS uses state-of-the-art plant breeding methods to increase farmers' yields and further improve the resistance of plants to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To achieve this goal, the company invested around EUR 340 million in research and development in fiscal year 2025/2026.

*excluding seasonal workers

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