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Heinz Mack Biography
Heinz Mack is a German artist whose pioneering work has significantly influenced the post-war art landscape, particularly through his contributions to light and kinetic art. Born on March 8, 1931, in the small town of Lollar in Hesse, Germany, Mack's early life was marked by the tumultuous events of World War II, which left an indelible impression on him and would later influence his artistic pursuits.
Mack's formal education in art began in the 1950s when he attended the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. During this period, he also earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Cologne. His dual interests in art and philosophy would come to shape his unique approach to art-making, which sought to transcend traditional forms and explore the essence of light and structure.
In 1957, Mack, along with fellow artist Otto Piene, founded the ZERO group in Düsseldorf. This avant-garde movement was a response to the dominant abstract expressionist trends of the time and was characterized by a desire to start from scratch—hence the name ZERO, which symbolized a new beginning. The group, which later included artist Günther Uecker, rejected the emotionally charged gestural painting of the era in favor of a more objective art that focused on light, motion, and spatial dynamics.
Mack's work with the ZERO group was revolutionary. He organized evening exhibitions, called Abendausstellungen, with Piene, which led to the formation of ZERO. The group became an international movement, attracting artists such as Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, and Jean Tinguely. ZERO's influence extended beyond Germany, with networks of artists from Europe, Japan, and North and South America.
Throughout his career, Mack has been known for his disruptive engagements with light and its interplay with movement, space, and color. His oeuvre includes major installations, sculptures, paintings, and works on paper. In the 1950s, Mack began to move away from traditional canvases, experimenting with metal, stone, water, glass, and mirrors to create dynamic spatial constructions and kinetic sculptures.
Mack's fascination with light and its effects stems from his childhood experiences during the war. He has described light as playing a significant role in his life, both as a source of danger and fascination. This preoccupation with light is evident in his artworks, where light refracts in shimmering silver relief images made of aluminum or glass, and in kinetic sculptures powered by engines that create moving entities of glistening light.
One of Mack's most radical works is the "Sahara Project," which he initiated in the 1960s. He installed several "artificial gardens" in the African desert, using wing reliefs, cubes, mirrors, sails, banners, and a large light stele. The project was a testament to Mack's interest in creating art that interacts with its environment, transforming the boundless expanse of the desert into a canvas for his light-based sculptures.
Mack's contributions to art have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He has been honored with the Art Prize of the City of Krefeld, the Premio Marzotto, the 1st Prix arts plastiques at the Paris Biennale, and the Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany, among others. His works have been exhibited in nearly 300 solo exhibitions and are found in over 130 international public collections.
Mack's influence extends beyond his artistic creations. He has also been involved in the design of public spaces, church interiors, stage settings, and mosaics. His commitment to exploring the interplay of light, space, and movement has opened new horizons in the art world and continues to inspire artists and audiences alike.
Today, Heinz Mack's legacy is that of an artist who sought to achieve pure, grand, objective clarity in his work, free of romantic, arbitrarily individual expression. His relentless pursuit of aesthetic purity and structural phenomena has made him a central figure in the development of post-war art, and his work remains a testament to the power of light as a medium for artistic expression.
Heinz Mack Quotes and Sales of
Works
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