Albrecht Behmel | |
|---|---|
Behmel in 2011 at Filmforum. | |
| Born | (1971-03-24)24 March 1971 |
| Pen name | Albrecht, Timothy Patterson |
| Occupation |
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| Nationality | German |
| Education | Master of Arts |
| Alma mater | University of Heidelberg |
| Genre | comedy, drama, fantasy, non-fiction |
| Years active | 1999–present |
Albrecht Behmel (German:[German:ˈalbʁɛçtˈbeːməl]; born 24 March 1971) is a German artist, novelist, historian, non-fiction writer and award-winning playwright.
Son of geologistHermann Behmel and grandson of architect Paul Behmel. The uncommon family name is a Germanicized form of theCzech given nameBogomil from where (Bohemia) their family emigrated toSaxony in the early 18th century. On his mother's side he is a descendant ofChristoph Martin Wieland, aSwabian poet and writer of theEnlightenment.[citation needed]
After working as a bouncer and a puppeteer inParis, France, in the early 1990s, Behmel moved to Germany to complete his studies in humanities inHeidelberg, where he was a fellow student ofSilvana Koch-Mehrin and Gerrit Jasper Schenk and atHumboldt University, Berlin, Germany. He has published on ancient history, Greek naval warfare and early German literature like theNibelungenlied. Most notably, however, are a series of self-help e-books for fellow students, making him one of the pioneers of German electronic publishing.[citation needed] He used the pseudonym Timothy Patterson for two titles. He is noted to suffer from insomnia. He was a business consultant between 1995 and 2005.[citation needed]His published work includes novels, likeMitte 1,Homo Sapiens Berliner Art; radio plays, computer games, film scripts[1] and stage plays as well as non-fiction. He has worked for a number of German and international TV stations, likeARTE andARD. Behmel founded a network for film and media professionals, Filmforum, in 2008.[2][3]
In 2013 he foundedSamiel Award, an annual literary prize for antagonists of newly published German novels. The first Samiel Award went to Austrian writer Jan Kossdorff for a dark humor novel about human trafficking and advertising agencies. The award is supported by publisher Marc Hiller of Stuttgart.[4] Winning writers receive 666 Euros, thenumber of the beast.[5]
A series of paintings developed by Albrecht in 2013 and 2014.The Magic of the Swarms is about the fusion of shapes into more complex forms and about the interaction of colours. But it is also a geometrical game called Abstrahism: Intricate chaotic systems consist of simple overlapping elements. The colours help define the shape, but at the same time emphasise the intricacies of the interaction of each silhouette. The work is influenced by ecclesiastical lead lights and Buddhist mandalas.[citation needed]
Real-life silhouettes merge into something almost but not totally abstract - a swarm of forms that is more than the sum of its elements or parts. It is a way to perceive the world using techniques of geometry and cartography to depict motion and form. Expressive colours underline the aspects of contrast and combination. Three-dimensional bodies are reduced to two dimensions.[6][7]
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Two recurring motifs of most of his books are urban culture and the pitfalls of modern communication but alsohorsemanship andalcoholism or a mix thereof. Irish folk music, academic ceremonies and ancient mythology appear in some fiction works. Most dialogues feature a variety of Germandialects and slangs. Some novels have been compared to the work of Israeli writerEphraim Kishon.[citation needed]
The general standpoint professed in most of his non-fiction works can be described aslibertarian, anti-establishment and pro-science with a general distrust in doctrines, political ideologies of whatever color. A recurring thought is that institutions like most governments, schools, churches and universities have not kept up with current social developments for decades, and in some cases, centuries, which contradicts their claim to leading positions within society.[9]
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