Book Wall Pieces
44 works
Johan Deckmann Dislocated Sense of Reality For Sale
Johan Deckmann
Dislocated Sense of Reality, 2025
Oil on canvas
47 1/4 x 47 1/4 in 120 x 120 cm
About this work
Johan Deckmann’s oil paintings occupy a distinctive space between conceptual art and painterly tradition, transforming the language of found objects into sharply observant visual statements. Known for his earlier works on discarded book covers, Deckmann brings the same psychological acuity and dry humor to canvas, presenting text-based compositions that read like private confessions or internal monologues. Rendered in oil, these paintings retain a tactile richness and material depth that contrasts deliberately with the immediacy of their phrasing.Each work operates as a compact narrative device. Short, declarative sentences—at times self-deprecating, at times existential—are carefully positioned against restrained, often monochromatic grounds. The result is a tension between the authority of painted surface and the vulnerability of language. Deckmann’s wit is not merely comedic; it is diagnostic. His statements probe themes of anxiety, identity, desire, and social expectation, distilling complex emotional states into deceptively simple lines of text.By elevating everyday language through the slow, deliberate process of oil painting, Deckmann reframes fleeting thoughts as enduring objects. The paintings invite viewers to recognize fragments of themselves in the words presented, forging an immediate psychological connection. In doing so, Deckmann balances irony and sincerity with precision, creating works that are at once playful, intimate, and quietly incisive.
Price on Application
Edition & Provenance
- Year
- 2025
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
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Johan Deckmann
2054
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Bad Artist
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Bad Taste in Art
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Carried Away
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Child Prodigy
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Difficult Situations
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Either Way
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Everlasting Love
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Everlasting Love Studio Shot
Johan Deckmann
Existence
2023
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Good News
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Grandtherapist
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History
2022
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I Miss You
2025
Johan Deckmann
I Overthink
2026
Johan Deckmann
I Overthink
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I Wish My Happy Place Wasn't Criminal
2023
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In Loving Memory
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Johan Deckmann My Husband Loves Me Very Much (Framed)
2023
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Like-Minded Friends
2022
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Mutual Error
2026
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My Husband Loves Me Very Much
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Nobody
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Online/Offline
2021
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Rather
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Johan Deckmann
Regret
2025
Johan Deckmann
Sometimes I Confuse Vodka With Water But Also Always
2023
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Stupid
2021
Johan Deckmann
Surprised Wife
2025
Johan Deckmann
The Best Patient
2024
Johan Deckmann
The Life We Could Have Had Together
2016
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The Moment
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The Nail Salon
2022
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The Pill
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The Pool
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The Proposal
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The Purest Form of Love
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The Remorse
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The Sun
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The Voices
2021
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Thinking About Me
2022
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Time Travel Remains The Most Effective Anti Aging Strategy
2023
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Undiagnosed Narcissists
2021
Johan Deckmann
Untitled
2022
Johan Deckmann
Work And Netflix
2021
Johan Deckmann
Wrong
2026
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Your Stupid Dreams
2022
Johan Deckmann
Your True Self
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More series by Johan Deckmann
About the Paintings Series
Discover Johan Deckmann's compelling Paintings series, a collection that explores contemporary anxieties through conceptual wit and visual sophistication. This curated selection showcases works including Existence, Time Travel Remains The Most Effective Anti Aging Strategy, 2054, and My Husband Loves Me Very Much—each piece addressing themes of identity, perception, and the fragmented nature of modern life.
Deckmann's paintings blend conceptual rigor with accessible aesthetics, making them particularly significant for collectors interested in contemporary art that challenges conventional narratives. Titles function as integral components of his practice, creating productive tensions between image and language that reward sustained engagement.
The series demonstrates the artist's evolution across multiple mediums and thematic concerns, from the introspective Dislocated Sense of Reality to the culturally prescient Online/Offline, positioning his work within broader conversations about authenticity and meaning in the digital age.
These paintings represent compelling acquisitions for discerning collectors seeking intellectually rigorous contemporary practice. Enquire for availability and pricing information.
About Johan Deckmann
Johan Deckmann is a Danish artist based in Copenhagen, where he also works as a practicing psychotherapist and author. He has been creating paintings and sculptures since the 1990s, though the body of work he is best known for, a series of imaginary self-help books, first appeared in 2014.
Deckmann sources old book covers, records, suitcases, and boxes from second-hand shops, then paints invented titles and silhouetted figures directly onto them. The results resemble vintage self-help guides from the 1960s and 70s, using muted tones and worn textures to give each piece a sense of history. His background in psychotherapy and music composition informs his approach to language, favoring short, pointed phrases that compress complex emotions into a single line. The titles range from wry to unexpectedly tender, and their directness allows them to resonate across different audiences regardless of background.
Deckmann has described his work as a way of applying the same instinct he uses in therapy, to find language that gets to the core of a feeling, to visual art instead. His pieces have been shown internationally, including in Copenhagen, Rome, Amsterdam, New York, and Miami, and have built a substantial following online, where his book pieces are widely shared and recognized.
Guy Hepner works with collectors seeking Johan Deckmann's witty, text-driven self-help book paintings. Contact us to discuss available inventory or to inquire about upcoming releases.