Gunter Damisch Austria, 1958-2016

Gunter Damisch (Steyr, Austria 1958 – Vienna, Austria 2016)

Born in 1958, Gunter Damisch is a leading figure of the “New Wilds" movement in Austria, a term used for the neo-expressionists of the 1980s who used intense colours and broad brushstrokes, following a stylistic code opposite to minimalism and conceptual art.

Damisch produced large oil paintings, striking for their intense variety of colours; the artist also created ceramic objects and sculptures in aluminium and bronze, as well as working with graphics, photography, collage and screen printing.

From 1977 to 1983, Damisch studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, attending the master course held by Maximilian Melcher and Arnulf Rainer and, from 1992, he was the Chair of Engraving. He died in 2016 in Vienna after a short, serious illness.

© Gunter Damisch Eastate. Photo UniCredit Group