Local Hero: Christian Hundertmark

A conversation with Christian:

Dear Christian, can you tell us a little about your background? How long have you lived in Munich?

I was born in Schwabing in 1974, so I'm a Munich original. I grew up in the suburbs (Unterschleissheim) and moved to Schwabing when I was 18, then Haidhausen and then Au. I have now been living in the Westend for five years.

I founded my design office C100 Studio in 2003 and since then we’ve had several different constellations and partners as well as employees. Due to its roots in the field of graffiti/urban contemporary art/street art, C100 Studio has always handled classic design commissions as well as artistic projects, such as wall objects. I’m also an active artist, painting large-format pictures. On the side, I have been an Eisbach surfer for over 15 years, a BMX rider since the movie E.T. (1982) and a graffiti artist since 1989.

Tell us about your art. What are you trying to express?

My artistic creations are abstract compositions which give the viewer a lot of room for interpretation. In each of my artworks, you can find traces of traditional graffiti writing combined with graphic elements that melt into multi-layered collages and hard-edge images. I hope to invite the viewer to lose one’s self in the art, allowing a little relaxation or some tension.

A dark-haired, grey-haired man with glasses and a beard. He stands in front of a blue, white and black background.

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Christian Hundertmark

A dark-haired, grey-haired man wearing glasses is sitting on a chair in a studio. He has crossed his legs and is looking into the camera.

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Where can you find the best street art in Munich?

Street art can be difficult to find in a city like Munich where the city has financial reserves to quickly remove unauthorised art in public spaces. But you can still find urban contemporary art in galleries and museums. In this case, the MUCA Museum of Urban Contemporary Art is the place to be. Otherwise, take to the streets and search for yourself. Head to the Werksviertel or the entrance foyer of the Süddeutsche Zeitung Verlag (I designed a large wall there with my colleague Patrick Hartl under our collective name Layer Cake).

Which exhibition in Munich has inspired you recently?

The Peter Lindbergh - Kunsthalle Munich.

What is the last art exhibition you visited in Munich?

The exhibition on International Women's Day in the Fraunberg studios of Cendra Polsner, Katja Brenner, Sabine Magnet, Samantha Mariuzzi, Tanja Hirschfeld.

Are there any locations in Munich that you find particularly inspiring?

A nice place to relax and get inspired is the Hirschau in the northern part of the English garden. I used to walk there several times a week with my Labrador Mogly – and it’s still somewhere I love to hang out. I also love the view over Munich across the Alps from Olympic Hill – it always makes me feel calm.

What does Munich mean to you personally? What makes the city worth living in for you? How and where can a local hero live out his creativity?

Munich is not a big city like London or Berlin. I think it’s similar to my favourite cities of Stockholm, Copenhagen or Zurich: modern, manageable and with lots of nature. It is a wonderful place to live because of the great mixture of sports facilities (for me, that means the many skate parks, the Eisbach, the mountains and the Isartrails) as well as the cultural offering of museums and galleries.

"The Hirschau, in the northern part of the English garden, is a nice place to relax and get inspired. And the view over Munich across the Alps from Olympic Hill always makes me feel calm."

24 inspiring hours with Christian

#goodmorning #hellomunich #minga

9.33: Breakfast at Baader Café

#getinspired #artsandculture #artlover

10.45: Time for some art, culture and inspiration depending on the exhibition schedule

Kunsthalle

Pinakothek der Moderne

#happylunch #yumyum #ilovegoodfood

13.30: Delicious Vietnamese lunch at HA followed by a coffee in the sun in the Westpark at Gans am Wasser

#walkandtalk #greenlove #endorphins

14.37: A walk in the Hirschau followed by a short stop in the beer garden of the same name

#surf #eisbach #eisbachwelle

16.02: A round of surfing at the Eisbach, followed by a cold Spezi and tasty snack at Eisbach Kiosk.

#sundowner #goldenhours #goldenebar

17.27: Time for a sundowner drink at Goldene Bar

#hellofriends #cooperativa #munichfood

20.17: Meet some friends for dinner at Cooperativa

#dancedance #nighttoremember

23.17: End the evening at Blitz or Charlie

#nightcap #drinks #prost

00.30: Another nightcap at Schwarzer Dackel

#goodnight #sleepwell #sweetdreams

01:00: Home to bed.