Gunter Damisch

Gunter Damisch was born in 1958 in Steyr, Upper Austria. From 1978 to 1985, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts under prestigious artists, such as Arnulf Rainer, for example. Damisch was a member of the group “Neue Wilde”or New Fauves. This art movement started in the 1980s as a reaction to the brainy and intellectual movements of the 60s and 70s, such as conceptual and minimal art. The New Fauves take inspiration from the Fauves (eg. Henri Matisse, André Derain). The inspiration is noticeable in the strong expressionism, starkly contrasting colours, large painting formats and spontaneous painting gestures. Repeatedly occurring themes are for example fear, death, sexuality. Some international proponents are Claude Viallat, Markus Lüpertz and Rainer Fetting.

In a conversation with Alexandra Schantl, Damisch explained that he identifies with Paul Klees idea of the artist as a gardener. In this sense, he moves in different social situations and strives to foster things that grow, plant something new, or harvest things that are ripe. Printing techniques and the medium of drawing have played a crucial role in Gunter Damisch’s artistic production. Using the drawing process as a method of experimentation, themes are developed that then make their way into his paintings and sculpture.

Gunter Damisch died in 2016 at the age of 58. He had been a professor for printing techniques at the Academy of Fine Arts since 1992.