Profile
Jay Rechsteiner (born 1971, Basel, Switzerland) lives and works in Margate, UK. He works across painting, drawing, video, performance and text.
Since 2013, Bad Painting has been central to his practice. The ongoing series begins with real events that provoke shock, anger or disbelief, followed by research, drawing and painting. Image and text are used where they are needed, and the visual language has changed considerably over the life of the project.
Rather than illustrating a political position, Bad Painting uses painting as a way of processing events and human behaviour. Alongside the series, Rechsteiner has developed work in drawing, video, performance and collaborative practice.
Curriculum Vitae
Born 1971, Basel, Switzerland
Lives and works in Margate, UK
jay@jayrechsteiner.com
www.jayrechsteiner.com
Forthcoming
2027
ECHO, residency and exhibition, Nachtspeicher23, Hamburg, Germany
Awards
2025
Shortlisted, Jackson Art Prize
2024
Winner, Alpine Fellowship Visual Arts Prize
2017
Finalist, Anthology, Charlie Smith Gallery, London, UK
2000
Shortlisted, 34th Fukuoka City Art Exhibition, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2013
JAY GUN: The Most Dangerous Man on the Planet, WW Gallery, London, UK
2012
Espelho Meu, Mercado Negro, Aveiro, Portugal
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2011
CrossBreeding, Casa das Artes, Coimbra, Portugal
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2011
We Love 77, Coimbra, Portugal
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2010
Pot Shots, WW Gallery, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2010
We Love 77, Merchant's Hall, Islington, London, UK, presented by WW Gallery
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2010
Hackney Wicked Art Festival, Blue Building, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2009
Espelho Meu, Académico Gil Vicente, Coimbra, Portugal
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2008
The Charity Shop, Gallery 5, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2008
Espelho Meu, Santiago Alquimista, Lisbon, Portugal
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2004
Glatzen leben, Schmaler Wurf, Basel, Switzerland
2000
Polymorphic Masturbation, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
2000
Polymorphic Mud, Saibu Gas Gallery, Canal City, Fukuoka, Japan
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026
Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Off Season Margate, Margate, UK
2023
DIKTAT: DAS BÖSE, Atelierhof Kreuzberg / Verein Kunst in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
2022
Aktionale IV: Das nackte Sein, Haus der Künstler / Verein Berliner Künstler, Berlin, Germany
2021
Turner Contemporary Open, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK
2020
UNLEASHED SPEED UNLEASHED SPEECH (MISFITS), curated by Stefan Brüggemann, KOTARO NUKAGA, Tokyo, Japan
2020
Global Conversation 2020, F.99 and IKONO Space, part of United Nations UN75, online
2020
I Might Be Staring at Infinity (or the Backs of My Own Eyelids), ARTIM Project Space / YARAT Contemporary Art Space, Baku, Azerbaijan
2019
A Conversation in My Head While Examining the Very Existence of House Plants, Margate NOW, 101 Social Club / Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK
2018
Rechsteiner and Reynolds & Rose, curated by Alyson Hunter, Eaton Hill Gallery, Margate, UK
2017
Anthology 2017, finalist exhibition, Charlie Smith London, London, UK
2014
Werke sind Wesen: Les hirondelles sont le Printemps, Villa Renata, Basel, Switzerland
2011
Afternoon Tea, WW Gallery, Venice, during the 54th Venice Biennale
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2011
London Art Fair, WW Gallery, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2011
REGIONALE 12, FABRIKculture, Hégenheim, France
2009
Travelling Light, WW Gallery and Pharo Gallery, Venice, during the 53rd Venice Biennale
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2009
Parental Guidance, WW Gallery, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2007
Dorian Gray: Happy Days, John Jones, London, UK
as Sardine & Tobleroni
2003
Regionale, Projectraum 54, Basel, Switzerland
2000
My Life Project, project by Tang Da Wu, Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Selected Projects
2015 to 2016
The Red Van, collaborative research project with Chiara Williams Contemporary Art, commissioned by WW Gallery, London
2013 to present
Bad Painting, ongoing series based on real events
2007 to 2015
Sardine & Tobleroni, collaborative artistic practice with Victor “Torpedo” Silveira, producing exhibitions and projects in the UK, Portugal, France and Italy
2007
The Washroom Talks, five part series of filmed discussions on art in London and Liverpool; Talks Four and Five presented at Tate Liverpool
2005 to 2006
The Washroom Projects, participatory performance series, 15 instalments in public and institutional spaces
Residencies
2027
ECHO, Nachtspeicher23, Hamburg, Germany, forthcoming
2012
monoloqueArt, La Maison du Comédien, Alloue, France