Pete Kilkenny

Pete Kilkenny is a British-born artist celebrated for his expressive cow paintings that merge bold brushstrokes with emotional storytelling.

His unique works, often painted on newspapers from around the world, transform everyday objects into powerful artistic statements. His year-long project Süddeutsche Kühe, in which he created 301 daily cow portraits on the front pages of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, garnered widespread acclaim for its originality and consistency.

Kilkenny’s artistic approach blends contemporary expressionism with a deep connection to rural life, nature and simplicity, emphasizing the beauty of the ordinary. His work often explores themes of identity, tradition and human connection with nature, using cows as a recurring subject to symbolize serenity, grounding and a link to the pastoral world.

His art has been exhibited internationally, including a notable display at the Würth Gallery alongside iconic artists such as Joseph Beuys and Picasso. His pieces are part of prestigious private collections, including those of Marion Würth and Peter Nobel, further cementing his reputation in the contemporary art world.

View Pete's artwork

Biography

1962 - born in Doncaster, England

1976 - shows strong interest for all aspects of art, painting, printmaking, Silkscreen & Etching

1978 - 1980 - Design and Technology School - worked with wood, plastics & metal, silkscreen printing, etching & lithography

1980 - 1981 - Art Foundation Course - Obligatory - Etching, Lithography & Silkscreen, Drawing, Photography, Art History

1981 - 1984 - Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art, Newcastle University - Painting & Printmaking

1984 - 1987 - World Tour Europe, Greece, Israel, Asia - in these years lived as a street musician, drawing, writing & embroidery

Statement

"As an artist, my path has always been guided by the heart – not by conventions or qualifications. While dealers often wait to see what sells, the artist leaps into the unknown, following their vision. That’s both the challenge and the gift of being an artist.

My work tells stories beyond the material world, touching on the invisible and the magical. “Only the heart can see clearly,” as Saint-Exupéry once said.

My painting “Yellow Bull” (2006), inspired by Van Gogh’s “Yellow Chair”, embodies this philosophy: art is an expression of the soul, not the market.

I’m honored to have my work included in prestigious collections like the Annette & Peter Nobel Collection (alongside Warhol and Richter) and the Würth Collection, exhibited with pieces by Beuys, Picasso, and Baselitz. For this, I am deeply grateful.

Art isn’t measured by money but by its ability to speak to the soul – and that’s what drives me every day."

Pete Kilkenny

Exhibitions

2024 "The Weightlessness of Nothing" - Freilichtmuseum Massing, Germany
2022 "The Crown of Humanity" - Valentinum, Braunau, Austria
2019 Artist in Residence by Professor Elisabeth von Samsonow - Hadres by Vienna, Austria
2017 "Alles ist vergänglich, nur der Kuhschwanz, der bleibt länglich." (English: "Everything is transient, only the cow's tail stays long") - Castle of Tittmoning, Germany
2017 "The Power of Cow" - Ingolstadt Museum, Germany
2016 "Cows International" - Cows on international newspapers of the world - Museum Prien, Germany
2016 "Harvest Time" - Herrmannsdorf, Germany
2016 4 Works on newspaper included in the catalogue to the Exhibition, "Press Art" - Collection Annette & Peter Nobel, Lugano, Switzerland
2014 "Resident in the Castle" - In the Castle of Tittmoning, Germany
2013 "Neueste Nachrichten Heilige Kühe" - One year - a painting on every issue of the Süddeutsche Zeitung - Exhibition in the home & Studio of the artist, Tittmoning, Germany
2013 "Menagerie" - Exhibited work in the Galerie Würth in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany
2010 "Kilkenny's Cows" - Galerie Rathaus Burghausen, Germany
2009 "Chocolate Cheese" - Farbwerk Sankt Radegund, Austria
2008 "Springtime in Tegernsee" - Der Westerhof Tegernsee, Germany
2007 "Cows in the Tower" - Stadttorturm Braunau, Austria
2006 "The Yellow Bull" - Hermannsdorf Kerschlach, Germany
2005 "Kilkenny – Irish Artist" - Hugendubel München, Germany
2004 "Cows" - Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Kanold München, Germany
2004 "Cows and People" - Wilhelm Leibl Galerie Bad Aibling, Germany
2001 "Cows" - Werkhaus Rohrdorf, Germany
2000 "Art and Craft" - Gruppenausstellung Thal, Germany