Michael Kopplstätter — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Sep 25

Sep 25 Michael Kopplstätter

Biography

Born in 1966
Lives in Dornbirn and Schwarzenberg, Austria

1985 High School Graduation
1986 Study Architekture Universität Innsbruck
1987/88 New York USA. In the Manhatten Art Scene influenced by the German Artist Salome and his Movement “Neuen Wilden”
1988-1990 Study Fashion Fachhochschule Nagold
1990-1996 Düsseldorf Designer and Artist
since 1997 in Dornbirn, A

EXHIBITIONS

2022

> Miami Art Basel, Red Dot, Miami, FL, USA (upcoming in Dec.)
> Palazzo Albrizzi, Venice during Biennale Venice, Italy (ACIT iItalian German Cultural Association and It's Liquid Group)
> La Biennale Venice, Tana Art Space, Venice, IT
> Urbanside Gallery, Zürich, CH
> Thomson Gallery, Zug, Ch
> NDSM LOODS, Amsterdam, NL
> Gallery Nachtbrötchen, Roermond, NL

2021

> Red Dot, Gallery Steiner, Miami Art Basel, Miami, FL, USA
> Gallery Rossocinabro, Rom Art Week, Rome, Italy
> Europes biggest Art Gallery by Nachtbrötchen a project by Gallery Part 2
> Artbox Project Swiss Art Expo Zürich, CH
> Exclusiv Milliardärs Exhibition at AGStein Werft, Bodensee, A
> Westergas, Amsterdam, NL
> Borders Venice during Biennale Venice, Italy (ACIT iItalian German Cultural Association and It's Liquid Group)
> Venice International Art Venue, Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice, Italy
> Solo Museum Exhibition Arche Noah Museum Contemporary Room, Hohenems, A

2020

> Swiss Art Expo, Zürich, CH
> Benfit Auction ibizia Art Project Art Saves the sea, Ursula Stross Gallery, Graz, A

2019

> Soloexhibition Pop up Galerie Philosophikum Lech am Arlberg, A
> Tunnelgalerie Lech am Arlberg, A

2018

> Soloexhibition Tunnelgalerie Lech am Arlberg, A

2017

> Soloexhibition Tunnelgalerie Lech am Arlberg, A
> Artists for Refugees Landesmuseum Bregenz, A

2015

> Soloexhibition Ruckburg, A

Previous various Exhibitions in New York, Dusseldorf, Dornbirn

PUBLICATIONS

2018 Panoptikum, Otto Berger, Artist Table Book
2021 London Artmagazine NNC
2021 Circle Arts Magazine
2021 Artists of today and tomorrow, Artbook
2021 Its Liquid Interview during Biennale Venice
2021 Verdiensturkunde für künstlerische Leistung des Museum „La Pinacothèque“ Luxembourg
2022 Circle Arts Magazine Doublepage
2022 Thought Art Magazine Artist of the month 10 works
2022 Bruxelles Art Vue Human Body is Art 2022

Artist Statement

Portraits and depictions of women play a vital role in my work.

In the portraits and depictions of women, the vulnerability and its effects of passion are brought out. Objectively merging and dissolving, the protagonists depict themselves in a unique and modern expressive language. The surfaces are often filled with opaque layers and the images are gentle but built up expressively in layers. Like visions, bodies and portraits tremble and loll, flooded with sex appeal. They resist invisible norms while the viewer stands before them in silence. In the portraits, he literally dips into their eyes.

The painting approaches the viewer, expressively abstract, yet based on a clear object. Vital brushwork features appear increasingly free in front of the surface as tension builds up in the juxtaposition of density and looseness, intensity and silence.

In addition to my portraits and nudes, the fascination with the forces of nature and the self-destructive manner in which our society deals with it forms an important part of the work. In view of the ecological, social and economic dynamics of the last decade, it is increasingly clear that the imperative of constant growth is no longer a sustainable vision for our future, if we want one at all.

A cultural shift is not in sight and we are on a course of destruction and ruthlessness. With regards to social criticism, I make light of topics such as religion, cruel rituals, sexual assault, and obsession with power and destruction. I work excessively with spatula techniques, torn up surfaces of earth and destructive elements, with underlying sadness and calm.

Nature works are the large format ocean paintings to which I feel a strong connection. I work out the primal force of the sea by applying complex, excessive oil so that the water movements protrude several centimeters from the canvas. The viewer gives total respect for the ocean, its enormous amounts of water, the power of its waves and the fascinating play of colors on the light of the water.

In addition to representational formulation, my Oeuvre is strongly influenced by an expressive narration, but also continually inspired by different influences such as Gerhard Richter, Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon and Basquiat.

2020 i moved with my studio to an historical industrial factory.

Newer works are Iconic paintings which waver between faded abstraction, progression and figuration. Working in a traditional and timeless realm. Before the surface dries, I treat it to reveal a distorted image stopped in time and lost in space.

Painting a realistic picture, i deconstruct it, leaving in its wake traces of what was. Thus what ever remains in the present is a single
transient, but captive moment.

The paintings unite the precision and nostalgia of realism with dynamic and pulsating energy of gestural abstraction. Creating mysterious
and eerie surfaces. Effects are lost in the fog of memory, time and space.