Darko C. Nikolić
Born in 1979 to a Yugoslav guest worker family, he grew up in a student district of Göttingen — an environment in which different social, cultural, and ideological realities coexisted.
The civil war in Yugoslavia shaped his youth. He experienced how narratives do not only offer interpretations, but can direct thinking, belonging, and action — with real, violent consequences. At the age of fifteen, he received a draft notice for the Croatian military, which he did not follow due to his Serbian-Croatian background.
At the age of ten, during a longer stay at Göttingen University Hospital, he had his first formative encounter with geometric abstraction. The hospital, designed by Anton Stankowski, introduced him to contemplative perception. This experience would have a lasting influence on him.
In his youth, he sought intensity and self-determination in the external world. Graffiti became a central experiential field, deliberately extending beyond the boundaries of social tolerance.
His studies took him to Hamburg, where he still lives and works today. Co-founding the artistic occupation of the Gängeviertel in Hamburg deepened his experience of political processes and strengthened his mistrust of narratives that promise orientation but replace judgment with belonging.
These experiences form the background of an ongoing interest in judgment as an individual capacity.
2025
Modern Art from Germany (G) – ACX Art Center / Xinghai / China
Symbiosys (G) – Taicang Modern Art Museum / Taicang / China
Milestone 25 (E) – Affenfaust Gallery / Hamburg
2024
Harmony and Symbiosis (G) – Jiangxi Provincial Art Museum / Nanchang / China
Archetypes of Concrete Art (E) – Emerging Artist Space, Affordable Art Fair / Hamburg
24.02.22 (I) – Installation, Woods Arts Institute / Hamburg
Wandgestaltung – Der Player (G) – Affenfaust Galerie, Knotenpunkt Festival / Hamburg
Affordable Art Fair Berlin – Affenfaust Galerie
2023
Contemplation (E) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Mural – Villa Viva / Hamburg
Affordable Art Fair Hamburg – Affenfaust Galerie
2022
Archetypes of Concrete Art (E) – Meet Frida Artspace / Hamburg
Colour Celebration (E) – Deji Art Museum / Nanjing / China
Villa Salomon – Special Exhibition Knotenpunkt – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
2021
Meet Frida – Spatial Installation – Stilwerk / Hamburg
Knoten 21 – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg • Position 21 – BBK Hamburg, Fabrik der Künste / Hamburg
2020
Reciprocity (E) – OZM Artspace / Hamburg • Work and Artspace Grant • Hanse Viertel / Ministry of Culture Hamburg
City Art Week – Meet Frida / Hamburg
2019
Installation Design Object – Dockville Festival / Wilhelmsburg
Frühjahrsrundgang (G) – Rubikon / Tapetenwerk / Leipzig
2018
Werkschau (E) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Installation “Abweg” – Public Art Program / Hamburg Wilhelmsburg
Affordable Art Fair (M) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Artmuc (M) – Kompetent und Gefährlich / Leipzig – Munich
Frühjahrsrundgang (G) – Rubikon / Tapetenwerk / Leipzig
2017
Installation “Abweg” – Artville / Hamburg • Central Station / Hannover
Abstract (G) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Art Muc (M) – Kompetent und Gefährlich / Leipzig – Munich
Neusicht Festival (F) – Viva con Agua / Lucerne / Switzerland
21 × 17 (G) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Still Just in Your Head (E) – OZM Galerie / Hamburg
Werkschau (E) – Pop Up Rebelle / Hamburg
2016
Mural – Gängeviertel / Hamburg
Art Fair Cologne (M) – Cologne
Widerkunst Festival (F) – Säälchen / Berlin
Neusicht Festival (F) – Lucerne / Switzerland
Millerntor Gallery (F) – Hamburg
Interior Design Pyjama Park Hotel – Hamburg
Linie Fläche Raum (E) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Stroke Art Fair (M) – Munich
Preview SAF (M) – Cornelia Walter Gallery / Munich
Hamburger Galerie + OZM Galerie (G) – Opening
2015
Für den Augenblick (E) – OZM Galerie / Hamburg
Affordable Art Fair (M) – CCH Fair / Hamburg
Pure Pop Art (G) – 30 Works Gallery / Cologne
Knotenpunkt 15 (F) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Installation “Down” (F) – Artville / Hamburg
Untitled (E) – Tutech Innovations Center / Hamburg
Millerntor Gallery (F) – Hamburg
Off Topic (E) – The International Bürro / Off Gallery / Hamburg
2014
Affordable Art Fair (M) – CCH Fair / Hamburg
Up the Wall (G) – OZM Galerie / Hamburg
Knotenpunkt 14 (F) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Conturbanarys Art Fair (M) – Berlin
Down and Up (E) – Galerie Links-Rechts / Hamburg
Steady Drips (G) – Affenfaust Galerie / Hamburg
Project Grant – CR Foundation 2014
Transforming Mesh (F) – MS Artville / Hamburg • Millerntor Galerie / Hamburg
There and Back Again (G) – Nova Colonia Gallery / Berlin
222 Days of Up and Down (E) – OZM Galerie / Hamburg
2013
Transforming Mesh – Fragile (F) – Knoten 13 / Kolbenhof / Hamburg
Collaboration with OZ – OZM Galerie / Hamburg
Reanimation (E) – Kunstkiosk / Hamburg
Since 2009, numerous solo and group exhibitions.
(E = solo exhibition G = group exhibition M = art fair F = festival I = installation)