Biography
Paul Solberg, born in St. Paul, MN, studied Anthropology in Southern Africa before moving to NYC in 1996. Solberg began his photographic career with his first published book, Bloom (2005), following Puppies Behind Bars (2006), Tyrants + Lederhosen (2011), Tattoos, Hornets & Fire (2012) (co-authored with Christopher Makos), and monograph, Ten Years In Pictures (2014). First known for his acclaimed flower portraits, in tandem with his equally ethereal human portraits of such icons at artist Ai WeiWei, or in his Service series (2020-present), which resides in such collections as the Elton John Photography Collection and shown at the American Embassy, Kiev, 2017. Solberg’s photographs have been published in Publisher’s Weekly, Le Figaro, CNN, L’Oeil de la Photographie, Interview Magazine, WWD, WSJ Int’l. His work has been shown internationally at the museum La Casa Encendida (Madrid), Subte Museum, Galerie Sho Contemporary Art (Tokyo), Galerie Hiltawsky (Berlin), Karl Hutter Fine Art (LA), MM Fine Art (NY) and Galerie Catherine Houard (Paris), and Villazan Gallery, Madrid. Solberg lives in New York City.
CV
2005| “Introducing”, Sandunga Gallery, Granada, Spain, The Hilton Brothers (Makos, Solberg)
2005| “Color”, Ralph Pucci, NYC (solo)
2006| “Hippofolium”, Galeria Cayon, Madrid, Spain [The Hilton Brothers (Makos, Solberg)]
2006| “Makos Solberg The Hilton Brothers”, Flo Peters, Hamburg, Germany (Makos, Solberg, the Hilton Brothers)
2007| “Christopher Makos and Paul Solberg: the Hilton Brothers”, Sebastian Guinness Gallery [the Hilton Brothers (Makos-Solberg)]
2007| “The Brothers Are Coming”, Symrise, NYC (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2008| “Speechless”, Chiaroscuro Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ (Makos-Solberg)
2009| “Flower Power”, Villa Giulia, Centro Ricerca Arte Attuale, Torino, Italy (group)
2009| “Mistaken Identity”, La Casa Encendida, Madrid, Spain (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2009| “Mistaken Identity”, Espai Cultural Caja Madrid, Barcelona, Spain (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2010| “Mistaken Identity”, Espacio para el Arte Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2010| “Three!”, Flo Peters Gallery, Hamburg, Germany (solo)
2010| “Andy Dandy” + “City Surf” Clic Galerie, Manhattan, NY [The Hilton Brothers (Makos, Solberg)]
2010| “New Bauhaus” Ralph Pucci, Manhattan NY, [The Hilton Brothers (Makos, Solberg)]
2011| “Phases of Sweden”, Ramscale Lofts, Manhattan, NY, [The Hilton Brothers (Makos, Solberg)]
2011|”The Hilton Brothers”, Galerie Catherine Houard, Paris, 2011-12 (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2011| “Tyrants + Lederhosen”, Karl Hutter Fine Art, Los Angeles (Makos-Solberg)
2012| “Tyrants + Lederhosen” Christopher Henry Gallery, Manhattan, NY (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2012| “Andy Dandy + Other Works”, Galerie Hiltawsky (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2013| “Service”, Casa de Costa, NYC (solo)
2013|”1OUTSIDE”, Outdoor city-throughout Exhibition, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Makos-Solberg)
2014| “Service”, Boyd Satellite Gallery, New Orleans, LA (solo)
2016| “New York Stories”, Waldorf Astoria, Berlin (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2016| “Soli Insieme” (“Alone Together”), Palazzo Cozza Caposavi Bolsena, Italy (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2017| “Service”, American Embassy (Izolyatsia), Kyiv, Ukraine (solo)
2017| ”Spring”, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2017| “The Devil: from Giotto to Pollock, Art History & Literature” Book & Exhibition, Milano, 2017
2018| “Saints & Soldiers”, Seidel City, Boulder, CO (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2018| “Stories”, Peter Marcelle Gallery, Manhattan, NY (solo)
2019| “We the People”, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2019| “24th Annual Summer Benefit” (Bob Wilson), Watermill, New York (group)
2019| “No Collusion”, Seidel City, Boulder, CO (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2021| “Artworks: Christopher Makos + Paul Solberg” MM Fine Art, Southampton, NY (Makos-Solberg-the Hilton Brothers)
2022| “Andy in Nature” (2022), Forest Hall, Milford, PA (duo exhibition w/Christopher Makos)
2023| “The Art of Men’s Style”, Fahey Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (group)
2023| “FLUXUS”, Ralph Pucci, NY, LA, Miami (solo)
2024| “Finding Fame & Storytelling”, Villazan Gallery, Madrid
26 February 2025
ARTDESK: A SOLBERG SPRING (2018)
ON THE COVER: Paul Solberg’s Youth—two vibrant, blooming flowers set the tone for this issue’s fresh spring content. Read more about Paul Solberg and Christopher Makos, the photography duo known as the Hilton Brothers, who will be at this summer’s Green Box Arts Festival.
CNN Travel
Two artist-photographers have traced the footsteps of Stieg Larsson's crime-beating heroes to create a travel book with a Millennium series hook.
The travelogue "Tattoos Hornets Fire," produced in conjunction with VisitSweden, isn't a traditional, broad-view travel guide.
Instead, it shows readers where to eat like Larsson and live like Lisbeth Salander, the fictional protagonist of the writer's "Dragon Tattoo" novels.
Known artistically as the Hilton Brothers, Americans Christopher Makos and Paul Solberg present a grungy and dreamy Sweden centered on the Swedish novelist Larsson’s three novels: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "The Girl Who Played with Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest."
21 / January / 2027
ARTIST PAUL SOLBERG JIGSAW PUZZLE
ART X PUZZLES PUZZLES WITH PURPOSE / New York
Title: Philippe Petit Year, 2008 Jigsaw Puzzle Size: 19" x 19" (482.6mm x 482.6mm) Square | 500 pieces, Matte Finish, Eska Premium. The Collector Edition arrives in a specially custom-made wood box engraved with Art X Puzzles. Collector Edition of 20 + 2AP Signature Details: Original Artwork: Philippe Petit, 2008