Georg Baselitz Biography

Georg Baselitz is a German painter and sculptor renowned for his inverted imagery and profound exploration of German history and identity. Born in 1938 in Deutschbaselitz, Germany, he has become one of the foremost figures in his generation, significantly influencing the realm of Neo-Expressionism that prevailed in German art during the 1970s and 1980s.

Baselitz's innovative approach to creating artworks is characterized by his unique inversion technique, where he paints subjects upside down—a method he adopted in the 1960s to disrupt traditional views on representation and meaning in art. This technique, integral to his paintings and prints, compels viewers to reconsider their perceptions and the significance of the artwork, often invoking feelings of disquiet.

Baselitz's artworks draw from a variety of influences, including Soviet-era illustrations, Mannerist art, and African sculpture, which inform both his thematic focus and stylistic execution. His artworks not only challenge the aesthetic boundaries of painting and printmaking but also delve deeply into questions of national identity post-World War Two, prompting a reevaluation of what it means to be German.

Through his extensive body of work, which includes signed limited edition prints and monumental sculptures, Baselitz has consistently advocated for the relevance of painting as a critical artistic expression in the contemporary world. His commitment to producing paintings and original fine art prints has expanded the understanding of these media, emphasizing their continued importance in communicating complex historical and personal narratives.

Notable exhibitions

Georg Baselitz rose to prominence following his controversial solo exhibition at Galerie Werner & Katz in Berlin in 1963, which positioned him at the forefront of a new generation of German painters. His international reputation was firmly established through participation in documenta 5 in 1972 and documenta 7 in 1982, where his inverted paintings became a defining contribution to postwar European painting.

Baselitz's first comprehensive retrospective in the United States was presented by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in 1995, later touring to major institutions including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Further landmark retrospectives at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris in 1996 and the Royal Academy of Arts in 2007 consolidated his position within the international canon of postwar art.

Georg Baselitz has maintained a sustained presence at the Venice Biennale, participating in multiple editions since 1980. His Avignon series artworks were presented during the Biennale in 2015, followed by Archinto at Palazzo Grimani in 2022. In the same year, Baselitz – Academy at the Fondation Beyeler examined his ongoing dialogue with art history and painterly convention. This period culminated in his largest retrospective to date at the Centre Pompidou in 2021, reaffirming his enduring influence within contemporary painting and printmaking.