Herwig Maria Stark
HERWIG MARIA STARK
Ausgewählte Werke zu sehen im JCH Store
28. September bis 27. November
Täglich von 10:00 bis 18:00
The Austrian artist began his education as a fashion designer in Vienna, went thereafter to Italy, where he attended Accademia Italiana Moda in Florence. Some years later he continued his art studies in New York and Germany. The wide range of perceptions, coupled with experiences in foreign cultures enriched and expanded his vision of art, that shapes his personal and distinctive style.
In his expressionistic paintings, he explores the inner life of man. The intensity of expression, communication and psychological introspection of inner discomfort is manifested by his numerous portraits. Vigorous and determined are his portraits, marked by strong characters, are a reflection and vision of the human, not indicated as an individual identity, but as a collective identity. It seems that Herwig identifies and categorizes the emptiness in people with certain physiognomic features.
His faces, “etched” each with power on the canvas, exactly defined to the point to transmute almost to spirits of their own: people with cheekbones like chiseled, strong lips, sunken eyes and a hard metallic look that captivates us; masks of a modern society, observed with an almost cruel attention. Herwig shows us a society full of vices and weaknesses, melancholy and agitation.
The faces which impose themselves on the viewer almost with a penetrating glance, mirages of a familiar intimacy that reveal the deep-rooted malaise of a generation or more generally, reveal „the man in his essence.“ .They challenge us with indifference and fragility, are magnets, which we can hardly escape.
They are creatures from a dark world, covering their faces with nervous bashful, lanky, sinewy hands, but the sinful, blood-red nail polish discloses their sexual excesses. Women, chic, with an elegant hairstyle, the long neck, covered with translucent beads seduce, with scarlet, slightly parted lips.
Other faces seem rather lost in thought and melancholy, portrayed offish in the vast loneliness and sadness that accompanies them, as lost souls in the world.
Black and white, wed in high contrast, can detect the latent drama of our society today.
Herwig portrays a chastening way a world of illusions, of restless souls, strong, fragile, desperate and lonely. With great empathy, wisdom and the skill of an artist of undisputed talent, the inner life of humanity is manifested.
(Dr. Barbara Vincenzi)
EDUCATION
Born in Salzburg, Austria
1985 – 1989 Fashion school: „Modeschule der Stadt Wien im Schloß Hetzendorf“, Vienna, Austria
1989 – 1990 A.I.M. Accademia Italiana Moda Florence, Italy
2000 – Studies of painting at Irina Nakhova, New York, USA
2002 – Studies of painting at Akademie der bildenden Künste, Professor Franz Graf, Vienna, Austria
2007 – Studies of „Techniques of the OLD MASTERS“ at „Faber Castell Academy“ Nürnberg, Germany
2009 – Studies of “Techniques of the OLD ITALIAN MASTERS” at Angel Ramiro Sanchez, Florence Academy of Art , Florence, Italy
AWARDS
2017 – Finalist PREMIO MARCHIONNI 2017, Sardinia, Italy
2014 – IBAM 2014 Award, Nina Torres Fine Art, Miami, USA
2009 – ART ON WEB 2008/2009 COMPETITION the artwork „The doll“ was awarded with the 1st prize by the jury of the Concilio Europeo dell’Arte, Venice, Italy
2006 – 2. HENKEL – Award of the Jury, BIENNALE AUSTRIA 2006, Hüttenberg, Austria
2005 – Premio Lorenzo Il Magnifico Città di Firenze award, Biennale Internazionale dell‘ Arte Contemporanea di Firenze 2005″, Firenze, Italy
1996 – Award for the Best Men´s Collection 1996 by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture, Vienna, Austria
1990 – International Designdiploma, A.I.M. Accademia Italiana Moda Firenze, Italy
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
BIENNALE AUSTRIA – Verein zur Förderung zeitgenössischer KünstlerInnen, Vienna, Austria
CONCILIO EUROPEO DELL’ARTE, Venice, Italy
UNIONE CATOLICA ARTISTI ITALIANI, Italy
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
MUSEO MAGMMA, Villacidro, Sardinia, Italy
JAN KOSSEN FOUNDATION, New York, USA
FONDAZIONE OPERA CAMPANA DEI CADUTI, Rovereto, Italy
VAN ABBE MUSEUM, Eindhoven, Netherlands
PAUL GETTY FOUNDATION, Siena, Italy
TRIERENBERG ART, Traun, Austria
SELECTED PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
William Braemer, USA
Nina Torres, USA
Alexander, Graf von Aichelburg, Austria
Roubal private collection, Austria
AUCTIONS
2006 – Auction by ARTWARE for the benefit of „Licht für die Welt“
2005 – Auction by the DOROTHEUM -VIENNA for the benefit of „Licht für die Welt“
2005 – Auction by KUNSTAUKTION IM PALAIS KINSKI for the benefit of a children hospital in Kiew
2005 – Auction by „CHANGE BY CHANGE“ – for the benefit of the „Womans Cooperation International“, Sri Lanka
1998 – Auction of 35 larger- than- life sculptures by the DOROTHEUM-VIENNA for the benefit of the „Aidshilfe Wien“ Vienna
TEXTILE WORKS
1999 – Costume design and production for the performance of Tanztheater Homunculus „Kalinichta Karon“ at Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria and Passau/ Germany
1997 – 1998 Creation of „35 larger-than-life sculptures „on occasion of a Safer Sex champagne of the Aidshilfe, Wien, Vienna, Austria
TEACHING
1992 – 2003 Private teaching in figural drawing and costume design for the class of Stage and Costume design class of the Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria
ILLUSTRATIONS
1999 – 2004 FASHION NAVIGATOR by SAWETZ (Cover Illustration), SAFERSEX Champagne – AIDS Hilfe Vienna, Austria, GOLF-HOTEL Project – CID Agency, Vienna, Austria
Illustration of a report about the significance of Comics in Austria – „CITY“ Vienna City- magazine, Vienna, Austria
PROJECT
2000 – Development of the CI for the Personal Training Team „YUCORE“
1996 – Collaboration in the stage design and the artistic creation (painting) of the costumes for the „Hair by GRECHT Company“-VIENNA – on occasion of the „ALTERNATIVE HAIRSHOW“, London, GB
MODE – FASHION – STYLING & SET DESIGN
1992 – 2002 Styling & Setdesign for prestigious austrian and international medias, companies and photografers (excerpt) – Museumscafe Palais Lichtenstein, HELMUT LANG, DIESEL-AUSTRIA,
DIVA Fashion magazine, CARNET Magazine, KAIKO (Catalogue Winter 2001-2002), IKEA, BIPA, MAXMOBIL, NEWS MAGAZINE, STANDARD, Mario GONZALES, Mario SCHMOLKA, Raphael JUST, Stefan CSAKY,
Markus PUMMER, Bernd PREIML, LIFEBALL – VIP Styling Gerry Keszler, KURIER – VIP Styling Gunther Philip,
1992 – 1996 Freelance designer for companies of the European fashion industry – PALMERS, Design Studio Marlen Matejka, GÖSSL, TUREK WORKSHOP COMPANY, Kunst & Leben Boutique – Vienna,
1991 – 1992 Designassistenz at ESCADA – CRISCA & ACATRINI, Munich, Germany