Monty Richthofen, also known as Maison Hefner, is a multidisciplinary artist who challenges the boundaries of the written word, navigating the intricate landscapes of language. He integrates conventional literature and poetry into his practice, transforming his canvases and inviting viewers to engage with both text and imagery in dynamic and ever-evolving ways. Through his text-based art, he juxtaposes written words with visual elements, encouraging a dialogue that enriches the understanding of how language shapes our perceptions of self and our surroundings.
At the core of Richthofen’s work is a commitment to conceptual art, where he challenges viewers to reconsider the meanings embedded within their experiences. He explores themes of self-conception and expression, interrogating societal norms and the fluidity of selfhood in an increasingly digital world on skin and other surfaces. His art articulates complex narratives, using language as both a tool for expression and a barrier to comprehension. Richthofen employs a mixed media approach, blending traditional and digital techniques to create innovative expressions that reflect the multifaceted nature of contemporary life. This interdisciplinary practice allows for experimentation, resulting in unique explorations of ideas, emotions, and cultural commentary. Performance art plays a pivotal role in his exhibitions, transforming the experience into an interactive engagement that emphasizes the ephemeral nature of language and connection.
The tension between transience and permanence, the legible and illegible, permeates Richthofen’s work, reflecting on how art and literature are consumed and remembered. By utilizing materials that change over time, he mirrors the fleeting nature of thoughts and concepts, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences of change and continuity. Richthofen’s engagement with contemporary art extends to institutional collaborations with institutions including the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf and Neuer Aachener Kunstverein in Aachen. In an era defined by digital communication and consumer culture, Richthofen's work serves as a critical cultural commentary. He engages with themes such as commodification, selfhood politics, and societal critique, encouraging viewers to question the status quo and explore the complexities of their own realities. His art plays an important role in understanding contemporary society by illuminating the intricate relationships between language, persona, and power dynamics, prompting discussions that resonate on personal and collective levels.
The interdisciplinary practice is committed to engage audiences as active participants in the artistic experience by transforming spaces into immersive environments and challenging conventional viewing practices, inviting exploration and contemplation. Drawing on his personal narrative, he uses his unique voice to bridge differences and resonate on both individual and universal levels. Richthofen's work presses societal issues and reflects the complexities of modern existence, inviting the viewer to gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them.
SHOWS
Solo Exhibitions
Swallowed Bullets @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2025
Thank God God Is Dead @ NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (Aachen, DE)
2024
The Cards You Were Dealt @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2024
Monty Richthofen @ Art Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, DE)
2023
Cheap Hedonism @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2022
Spade Without Shaft @ M35 (Lucerne, CH)
2021
Between Empty Fields @ Torch Gallery (Amsterdam, NL)
2021
Ferrari @ Weserhalle (Berlin, DE)
2020
Group Exhibitions
Eccentric - Ästhetik der Freiheit @ Pinakothek der Moderne (München, DE)
2024
Accrochage @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2024
Capsule @ Luxembourg Art Week (Luxembourg, LU)
2024
Communication Is Key @ Allerstraße 38 (Berlin, DE)
2024
Too Much Future @ Kunstpalast Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, DE)
2024
In Between Spaces @ 106 Berlin (Berlin, DE)
2024
The Cards You Were Dealt @ Gallery Weekend Berlin Festival, Studio Mondial (Berlin, DE)
2023
Realms @ JVDW Gallery (Düsseldorf, DE)
2023
A(r)rival @ Lobe Block (Berlin, DE)
2023
The Kind Of Neighbours Nobody Likes @ Galerie Russi Klenner (Berlin, DE)
2022
Remote_01 @ Bergfriedstraße 19 (Berlin, DE)
2022
What The Flag?! @ Greylight Projects (Heerlen, NL)
2022
Let Your Whatever Do The Talking @ NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (Aachen, DE)
2022
Rat Kingz @ Landstraße 35 (Frankfurt Am Main, DE)
2022
Bye Bye Börnchen @ Am Börnchen 2 (Leipzig, DE)
2022
Why Can’t We Live Together @ Marburger Kunstverein (Marburg, DE)
2022
Nova X @ Lethaby Gallery (London, UK)
2021
Fête Permanente @ Espace Voltaire (Paris, FR)
2021
Stand der Dinge @ Bistro 21 (Leipzig, DE)
2021
Possibilities On Paper (Cologne, DE)
2020
Vino Magico @ Neu Workshop (Munich, DE)
2019
Link Not In Bio @ HVW8 Gallery (Berlin, DE)
2018
Walking Over The Broken Glass Of Tomorrow @ Zuständige Behörde (Leipzig, DE)
2016
PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS
Eccentric: Ästhetik der Freiheit
23x30 cm, 216 Pages, Hirmer
2024
Boobs in the Arts: Fe:male Bodies in Pictorial History
19x27 cm, 288 Pages, Distanz
2023
If This Is You Who Am I
Dub plate, in collaboration with Yasmina Dexter, Flipping The Coin
2023
No Need To Comment
12x19cm, 352 Pages, Present Books
2021
AUTOCORECT
12x19cm, 352 Pages, Present Books
2019
MullenLowe NOVA AWARD ‘People’s Choice’ Award, London, UK
2018
PRESS
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Performance Practice and Design @ Central Saint Martins UAL (London, UK)
2018
International Baccalaureate, International Bilingual School of Provence @ (Aix-en-Provence, FR)
2014
Monty Richthofen, also known as Maison Hefner, is a multidisciplinary artist who challenges the boundaries of the written word, navigating the intricate landscapes of language. He integrates conventional literature and poetry into his practice, transforming his canvases and inviting viewers to engage with both text and imagery in dynamic and ever-evolving ways. Through his text-based art, he juxtaposes written words with visual elements, encouraging a dialogue that enriches the understanding of how language shapes our perceptions of self and our surroundings.
At the core of Richthofen’s work is a commitment to conceptual art, where he challenges viewers to reconsider the meanings embedded within their experiences. He explores themes of self-conception and expression, interrogating societal norms and the fluidity of selfhood in an increasingly digital world on skin and other surfaces. His art articulates complex narratives, using language as both a tool for expression and a barrier to comprehension. Richthofen employs a mixed media approach, blending traditional and digital techniques to create innovative expressions that reflect the multifaceted nature of contemporary life. This interdisciplinary practice allows for experimentation, resulting in unique explorations of ideas, emotions, and cultural commentary. Performance art plays a pivotal role in his exhibitions, transforming the experience into an interactive engagement that emphasizes the ephemeral nature of language and connection.
The tension between transience and permanence, the legible and illegible, permeates Richthofen’s work, reflecting on how art and literature are consumed and remembered. By utilizing materials that change over time, he mirrors the fleeting nature of thoughts and concepts, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences of change and continuity. Richthofen’s engagement with contemporary art extends to institutional collaborations with institutions including the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf and Neuer Aachener Kunstverein in Aachen. In an era defined by digital communication and consumer culture, Richthofen's work serves as a critical cultural commentary. He engages with themes such as commodification, selfhood politics, and societal critique, encouraging viewers to question the status quo and explore the complexities of their own realities. His art plays an important role in understanding contemporary society by illuminating the intricate relationships between language, persona, and power dynamics, prompting discussions that resonate on personal and collective levels.
The interdisciplinary practice is committed to engage audiences as active participants in the artistic experience by transforming spaces into immersive environments and challenging conventional viewing practices, inviting exploration and contemplation. Drawing on his personal narrative, he uses his unique voice to bridge differences and resonate on both individual and universal levels. Richthofen's work presses societal issues and reflects the complexities of modern existence, inviting the viewer to gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them.
SHOWS
Solo Exhibitions
Swallowed Bullets @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2025
Thank God God Is Dead @ NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (Aachen, DE)
2024
The Cards You Were Dealt @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2024
Monty Richthofen @ Art Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, DE)
2023
Cheap Hedonism @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2022
Spade Without Shaft @ M35 (Lucerne, CH)
2021
Between Empty Fields @ Torch Gallery (Amsterdam, NL)
2021
Ferrari @ Weserhalle (Berlin, DE)
2020
Group Exhibitions
Eccentric - Ästhetik der Freiheit @ Pinakothek der Moderne (München, DE)
2024
Accrochage @ Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin, DE)
2024
Capsule @ Luxembourg Art Week (Luxembourg, LU)
2024
Communication Is Key @ Allerstraße 38 (Berlin, DE)
2024
Too Much Future @ Kunstpalast Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, DE)
2024
In Between Spaces @ 106 Berlin (Berlin, DE)
2024
The Cards You Were Dealt @ Gallery Weekend Berlin Festival, Studio Mondial (Berlin, DE)
2023
Realms @ JVDW Gallery (Düsseldorf, DE)
2023
A(r)rival @ Lobe Block (Berlin, DE)
2023
The Kind Of Neighbours Nobody Likes @ Galerie Russi Klenner (Berlin, DE)
2022
Remote_01 @ Bergfriedstraße 19 (Berlin, DE)
2022
What The Flag?! @ Greylight Projects (Heerlen, NL)
2022
Let Your Whatever Do The Talking @ NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein (Aachen, DE)
2022
Rat Kingz @ Landstraße 35 (Frankfurt Am Main, DE)
2022
Bye Bye Börnchen @ Am Börnchen 2 (Leipzig, DE)
2022
Why Can’t We Live Together @ Marburger Kunstverein (Marburg, DE)
2022
Nova X @ Lethaby Gallery (London, UK)
2021
Fête Permanente @ Espace Voltaire (Paris, FR)
2021
Stand der Dinge @ Bistro 21 (Leipzig, DE)
2021
Possibilities On Paper (Cologne, DE)
2020
Vino Magico @ Neu Workshop (Munich, DE)
2019
Link Not In Bio @ HVW8 Gallery (Berlin, DE)
2018
Walking Over The Broken Glass Of Tomorrow @ Zuständige Behörde (Leipzig, DE)
2016
PUBLICATIONS AND AWARDS
If This Is You Who Am I
Dub plate, in collaboration with Yasmina Dexter, Flipping The Coin
2023
No Need To Comment
12x19cm, 352 Pages, Present Books
2021
AUTOCORECT
12x19cm, 352 Pages, Present Books
2019
MullenLowe NOVA AWARD ‘People’s Choice’ Award, London, UK
2018
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Performance Practice and Design @ Central Saint Martins UAL (London, UK)
2018
International Baccalaureate, International Bilingual School of Provence @ (Aix-en-Provence, FR)
2014
PRESS
Copyright © 2016–2025 Monty Richthofen. All Rights reserved. Legal. Privacy Policy.
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Copyright © 2016–2025 Monty Richthofen. All Rights reserved. Legal. Privacy Policy.