painter
- graphic artis
- sculptor
- mosaic
home
- curriculum
vitae -
about my art
 |
Curriculum vitae of Daniel Friedemann |
 |
| 1971 | 1999 |
On the 12th December 1950 Daniel Friedemann
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 studies 1968 at the "Akademie der schönen Künste"(academy
of fine arts) in Munich-Germany-,in the master class for painting of Prof.
Mac Zimmermann-a surrealist of the Max Ernst-generation. In 1969 he pursued
his studies on painting in Vienna at the "Akademie für angewandte
Kunst" (Academy of decorative arts), in the master class 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 1980s, 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 Rodin’s
art , closely studied at his museums in Paris and Meudon, were of great meaning
for Daniel Friedemann’s sculptural work.
In the 1980es&90s Daniel Friedemann spent much time with the art of the
great masters of the Italian renaissance, mannerism and baroque. For the more
profound understanding of the painting of these periods, he copied some works
by painters of that time. As there are Titian, Tintoretto (renaissance) and
Francesco Solimena
and Corrado Giaquinto (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, without 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 color and form."
[Daniel Friedemann, Vienna 2002]
painter
- graphic artis
- sculptor
- mosaic
home
- curriculum
vitae -
about my art
Let me begin with some quotations from the text "Archetypes within the
self", which Gustav Reneè Hocke wrote about me in 1977.
"...That which we call "Art Nouveau", "Liberty Stile",
Jugendstil" or " Tout ours", also "Symbolism 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", "Lithomorposes"
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 oil painting ("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 color. 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-satirical
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 pine trees..."
"...Romanticism still a la Caspar David Friedrich, still also the sentimental
effect-coloring 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 ,molded 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
skeptical 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 mannerist scenery of
the kind that our Viennese and Parisian grandpas loved so much ..."
[Gustav Rene Hocke, Rom]
To the words of Gustav Reneè 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 André Bretons concept and " Manifest of Surrealism",
are scrutinized 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 Reneè Hocke writes so accurately,
truly symbolist. Although me being an atheist, I was brought up as a catholic.
Therefore 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]
painter
- graphic artis
- sculptor
- mosaic
home
- curriculum
vitae -
about my art