Georg Baselitz, a prominent German artist, has earned recognition for his Neo-Expressionist paintings, characterized by distinctive brushwork and a penchant for unconventional exhibition – often displaying his works upside down. Beyond painting, his artistic repertoire encompasses sculpture and printmaking, collectively exploring the complexities of being a German artist in the postwar era. Baselitz's oeuvre is marked by bold colors, forceful brushstrokes, and the incorporation of folkloric or archetypal subject matter.

Reflecting on his creative process, Baselitz notes, “I begin with an idea, but as I work, the picture takes over. Then there is the struggle between the idea I preconceived and the picture that fights for its own life.” Born Hans-Georg Kern in Deutschbaselitz, Germany, on January 23, 1938, he adopted the name Baselitz in 1961, derived from his hometown.

Willem de Kooning's work profoundly influenced Baselitz during his student years, leaving an enduring impact alongside the inspiration drawn from Philip Guston and Jackson Pollock. His provocative subject matter and outspoken stance on culture and politics have, at times, positioned him as a polarizing figure in the art world.

In 2016, a comprehensive traveling exhibition titled “George Baselitz: The Heroes” showcased the artist’s 1965–1966 series of Hero paintings at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main. Currently residing and creating in Munich, Germany, Baselitz's works grace the collections of esteemed institutions worldwide, including the Guggenheim Bilbao, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Berlinsche Galerie, among others.

Georg Baselitz

German

Main

Artist

Printer

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Cahiers d'Art