Amsterdam
The Netherlands
phone: +31 (0) 6 20 65 39 48
email: alex@drainspotting.art
instagram: drainspotting.art
Alex Fischer was born in 1968 in Hamburg, Germany,
has lived and worked in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, since 1998.
He studied at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg
and the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam.
Fischer's work extends beyond drain covers to include sculptures and videos.
He exhibited at the Verbeke Foundation / Belgium,
Pressmatter Shanghai / China, Intramurs Valencia / Spain,
Nairobi National Museum / Kenya, Espaço 104 Belo Horizonte / Brazil,
Art Omi New York / USA, Moscow International Forum of Art / Russia,
W139 Amsterdam / Netherlands, and other venues.
Since 2000, Fischer has built the world's largest collection of drain cover frottages.
He has collected over 500 frottages from 125 cities, 35 countries on 6 continents.
In celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, Fischer designed a special
drain cover in collaboration with the City of Amsterdam.
Starting in 2025, a total of 1,500 covers will be gradually rolled out across
Amsterdam to replace older ones or complementing new infrastructure.
Education
1998 - 2001 Gerrit Rietveld Academie Amsterdam / Netherlands
1996 - 1998 Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg / Germany
2025
Arti et Amicitiae / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dead Darlings / Heimathafen NeuKölln / Berlin, Germany
2024
750 Years / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Verbeke Foundation / Belgium
Dead Darlings / P////akt / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023
OS@ZBD25 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dead Darlings / Fashion Museum / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022
W139 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dead Darlings / Vrije Paleis / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021
W139 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Warp / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020
Acoin Launch / Worldwide
Book Launch ‘Hunter’ / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019
Pressmatter / Shanghai, China
De Balie / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Disgraca / Lisboa, Portugal
RWZI / Hilversum, The Netherlands
2018
BEK / Zagreb, Croatia
Studentski Centar / Karlovac, Croatia
2017
Intramurs / Valencia, Spain
Nederlands Film Festival / Utrecht, The Netherlands
2016
Sonsbeek Park / Arnhem, The Netherlands
Nederlands Film Festival / Utrecht, The Netherlands
2015
Nairobi National Museum, Kenya
W139 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo show)
Arti et Amicitiae / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014
Joint Adventures / Museum Villa Stuck / Munich, Germany
PMB / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Kunstvlaai / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
ABBA / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
4bid Gallery / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BAL Festival / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2013
Cinedans Eye Film Institute / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2012
Zoete-Broodjes / Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo show)
301-Otopia / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2011
UFRB / Bahia, Brazil
Mediamatic / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Choreographic Captures / Munich, Germany
AWA / Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo show)
2010
Espaço 104 / Belo Horizonte, Brazil (solo show)
Hudicev turn / Soteska, Slovenija
AWA / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Fonds BKVB / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2009
Watermarks NDSM / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
one minutes / Venice Biennale, Italy
Beehive Project / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2008
Galerija Laterna / Crnomelj, Slovenija
Kenya International Filmfestival / Nairobi, Kenya
Edit2008 / Budapest, Hungary
Amakula International Filmfestival / Kampala, Uganda
Montevideo / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2007
Galerie Paul Andriesse / Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo show)
W139 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Worm / Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Amakula International Filmfestival / Kampala, Uganda
Oficina de Imagens / Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2006
Festival Internacional de Video Arte / Valencia, Spain
Via-Lab / Don Benito, Spain
Marte e aqui / Sao Paulo, Brazil
Buro Empty / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Museo Universitario de Arte / Uberlandia, Brazil (solo show)
2005
Loods 6 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sail 2005 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
P/////akt / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pontificia Universidadae Catholica / Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2004
De Wereld van Witte de With / Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Bucharest Biennale / Bucharest, Romania
Festival de inverno da UFMG / Diamantina, Brazil
Moscow International Forum of Art / Moscow, Russia
Kunstvlaai / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Arti et Amicitiae / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Artwalk / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2003
P////akt / Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo show)
Ki-osk / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2002
3001 / Duesseldorf, Germany
Stubnitz project / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
E.O.F. Gallery / Paris, France
2001
W139 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
St. Pieterskerk / Leiden, The Netherlands
Gerrit Rietveld Academie / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2000
M-art Gallery / Arnhem, The Netherlands
W2 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1999
OT301 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Park of the future / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1998
M-art Gallery / Arnhem, The Netherlands (solo show)
O.L.V.G. / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
1997
Hochschule fuer bildende Kuenste / Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
1996
Front / Hamburg, Germany (solo show)
1995
Designkreuzzuege / Hamburg, Germany (first prize)