On
the 12. dec.1950 Daniel Friedemann-Fuchs was born in Vienna
as the second son of Prof. Ernst Fuchs a painter and sculptor
and Gertrude Fuchs,born Baschnegger,then a student of piano
and always a poet. After going to school, though without completing
high- school, he began to study art in 1967 by going to the
"Werkkunstschule" in Mannheim-Germany-,near Freiburg
im Breisgau-Germany-,where he had spent the years before.
He continued his studys 1968 at the "Akademie der schönen
Künste"(academy of fine arts) in Munich-Germany-,in
the masterclass for painting of Prof. Mac Zimmermann-a surrealist
of the Max Ernst-generation. In 1969 he pursued his studys
on painting in Vienna at the "Akademie für angewandte
Kunst" (Academy for applied arts), in the masterclass
for painting of Prof. Wolfgang Hutter until 1972. In 1976
he joined the class for sculpture of Prof. Wander Bertoni
at the above academy, for two semesters.
Many journeys to the USA and Mexico in 1973-75 and all over
Europe in the years after to the Near East and North Africa,
have left their traces in the work of Daniel Friedemann.
In New York Hans Arp`s sculptural work and the sculpture of
the Greek antique inspired him and he since keeps working
with sculpture.
The comprehensive presence of Surrealism in New York and reading
Andre Breton`s " Manifest of Surrealism" encouraged
him in pursuing his way as an artist. Daniel Friedemann was
then also greatly inspired by the great retrospective exhibition
of Max Ernst`s work at the Guggenheim-Museum in New York in
1975.
Back in Vienna in the 1980es, he attended lectures at the
university of Vienna on sculpture of the Greek classic period
and Hellenism by Prof. Alzinger and on roman painting of the
Hellenistic period by Prof. Kenner. A series of lectures by
Prof. Schmoll-Eisenwerth about the work of Rodin and the impulse
of Rodins art , closely studied at his museums in Paris and
Meudon, were of great meaning for Daniel Friedemanns sculptural
work.
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"Selfportrait in a shell"
Oil - Temp. - Mixtechnic
200" X 150"
1973
In the 1980es&90s Daniel Friedemann spent much time with
the art of the great masters of the Italian Renaissance, Mannerism
and Baroque. Also seeing the Retrospective of Claude Monet
at the Grand Palais in Paris , in 1980,left its traces in
the work of Daniel Friedemann.
In the 1970es right into the 80es, about until 1985, he signed
his works with Daniel Fuchs, but since then kept signing his
work with Daniel Friedemann.
Also in the 1980es Daniel Friedemann started to work in the
medium of mosaic. Thanks to numerous visits to Pompeii, he
spent some time at the school for mosaic in Spilimbergo-Italy-Fruli-
to learn the technique of mosaic making.
Quotation: "In quite a number of my paintings and graphics
I transform the conclusions I draw from art history, whithout
ever denying my surrealist roots. With sculpture, the portrait
and the nude is my central subject matter. But I also love
painting flowers for the mere joy of the lights appearance
in colour and form."
Daniel Friedemann ,Vienna 2002painter -
graphic artis - sculpter -
Mosaic
Home - Curriculum vitae -
About my artLet me begin with some quotations from the text
"Archtypes within the self", which Gustav Renee`Hocke
wrote about me in 1977.
"...That which we call "Art Nouveau", "Liberty
Stile", Jugendstil" or " Tout ours",also"Symbolysme
of the 19th century, most encouraged Daniel Friedemann in
his aspiration to freedom of fantasy, which sometimes also
did lead to symbolic allegories. Amongst others, Granville
had already recommended,1844 in his book "Un outre monde",
the combination of reality ,fantasy and symbolism. To be achieved
by means of "Transformations","Visions","Incarnations","Metamorphoses","Zoomorphoses","Lithomorphoses"
and "Metapsychomorphoses"
"Almost all these contents can be found in those works
of Daniel Friedemann which, in different periods, strive for
comprehension of this very "historical" symbolism.
(A good example for this could be the oilpainting ("Memento
Morii"). Way back then already,in the 19th. Century,it
was about strengthening ideas of "hidden realties"
in painting. The purpose was to convey spiritual happiness,
but also to point to the "great uncertainty "of
all human living, in line and colour. The chaos of human history,
the fiasco, the failure, the gloom, the usually prevailing
misfortune. The decadence of a once probably to idealistic
humanism."
"...Daniel Friedemann still experiences, despite some
"ironic-satyrical refraction", within himself the
genuine meditative antipodes, which lead from artificial ecstasy
to calmness of mind, to concentration. Thereby he overcomes
the fatal confusion of magic and mysticism in Art Nouveau.
An impressive example of this gives the oil-painting "Under
the roof of pinetrees..."
"...Romanticism still a la Caspar David Friedrich, still
also the sentimentalic effect-colouring of "Liberty".
But also already the colder tones of reflection, the farewell
to not only personal youth. What remains is the vision of
transcendent idyllic, the harmony of spirit and nature the
human being, earth and heaven. If only there in the eyes of
a woman ,moulded by happiness and grief, in a landscape where
blossoming and ravage seem to struggle with one another. The
artist still finds himself in-between a nature-environment
and abstruse visions, in a still sceptical confidence However
the constructive components in the ego are stronger then the
appearing images of a demonical environment. The strength
of the self-confident ego grows, despite its being put into
a maniristic scenery of the kind that our Viennese and Parisian
grandpas loved so much ..."
"Toilette of Venus"
Oil - Temp. - Mixtechnic
13.78" X 19.69"
1998
Gustav Renee Hocke
To the words of Gustav Renee Hocke I cannot really add very
much. And indeed he is very right about the fact, that my
art-work has always developed between the two contrary poles
of Surrealism and the constructive-intellectual aspect of
artistic creation. This interest in the constructive-intellectual
aspect has animated me, in the 1980s,to study the metrics
of the Greek antique in sculpture, painting and architecture.
Studies Leonardo da Vinci also occupied himself with. An exquisite
example for this is his "Giocconda" or " Mona
Lisa". Composed within a perfect scheme of the "secczione
Aurea" or "Golden Rule",which he seems to have
rediscovered.
But topics of a very personal kind, which though might well
be familiar to others too, are by all means sometimes the
object of my paintings. Since this is that other pole of Surrealism,
where a painting emerges without any preconceived subject
from almost automatic actions, an almost abstract structure
("Picnic"). Subsequently these fantastic images
become reflected,are worked over and, contrary to Andree Bretons
concept and " Manifest of Surrealisme",are scrutynised
in all directions and a distinct image is being worked out,
Such a painting. that might also make sense to people other
than myself, may for instance be ("Sacre Coeur")
or ("Man of passion") but also the painting ("Mementum
Morii") They are as Gustav Renee Hocke writes so accurately,
truly symbolistic. Although me being an atheist, I was brought
up as a catholic. Therefor I am familiar with the conceptions
of Christian religion. Some of the myths and symbols of it,
as well as those of pagan origin, do still have a meaning
and content to our modern live and psyche. This is why I still
like to make use of and communicate through them.
Daniel Friedemann, Vienna 2002
"The
judgement"
Oil - Temp. - Mixtechnic
39.37" X 27.56"
1977
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