2. Artists & stock
3. Georg Baselitz
4. Biography

Notes of biography

Georg Hans Kern takes part of his surname from his native town of Deutschbaselitz, when he moves to West Berlin. Baselitz was born in 1938. He starts his studies at the Superior School of Arts in East Berlin between 1956-1957, then again from 1958-1964 in West Berlin under Hann Trier. He discovers the writings of Lautreamont, of Artaud and the paintings of the abstract expressionists. He directs a manifesto in 1961, then a second the following year, where he expresses a desire to break with the abstract esthetic.
His first exhibition in 1963 at the Werner and Katz Gallery in Berlin provokes a scandal because two of the paintings are judged to be obscene. In 1966, for an exhibition in Berlin, he published a manifesto entitled « The Great Friends ». Little by little his work becomes diversified; Baselitz paints, but also draws, engraves and sculpts.
In 1977, he is appointed professor at the Academy of Art in Karlsruhe, and then later, from 1983 to 1988 at the Superior School of Applied Art in Berlin. Baselitz belongs to a generation of German painters that appropriate the wounded german heritage of Nazism. In search of a national identity, drawing from the depths of their german roots, they introduce a national pictorial language that will be baptised as « neo-expressionism ». Baselitz will study in a context strongly marked by American abstraction at that of the School of Paris. Without a doubt tied to his need for assertion, his paintings become provocative. The work of Baselitz is characterized by a rapid and jerky evolution. His first style, more or less informal, with thick and heavy brushwork, is quickly abandoned.
It’s towards 1965 that appear the paintings named « heros », men situated in the impossibility of comminicating with the world that surronds them. In 1967, the motifs of his paintings become jagged. It is in 1969 that Baselitz creates paintings with the reversed patters, all the subjects of his personal repertoire are thus upside down (figures, trees, houses, etc.), the artist declares to have found the liberty to finally confront pictoral problems. Baselitz is one of the greatest engravers of the 20th century; from 1963, his graphics take on an important place in his work, his etchings and wood engravings multiply. Baselitz equally produces monumental lithographs.
From 1967 his engravings refer to paintings. The tormented work of Baselitz is surprisingly violent and radical, the artist represents the world as he perceives it : « the wrong way around, such as it is ».

The artist doesn’t have responsibility towards anyone. His social role is asocial. His only responsibility resides is in accomplishing his work. Georg Baselitz

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