De Es Schwertberger
Encyclopedia
De Es Schwertberger commonly known simply as De Es (since 1972), is an Austrian artist, painter and modeller. His work has been shown in exhibitions in New York City
, where he lived for a short time, and Switzerland
.
, Lower-Austria (then part of Nazi Germany
) as Dieter Schwertberger, the second son of two teachers. His father died during World War II
, leaving his mother to raise him and his elder brother. He graduated from the Engineering School of Vienna
in 1962, aged 19.
His first decade as an artist began when he was taught to paint by Ernst Fuchs
, in the style of the 'Technique of the Old Masters' from 1963 onwards. These initial paintings were shown to the world in a one-man-show in the gallery of Professor Fuchs, in Vienna 1964. After this exhibition he went on to further study, and modify, the 'Techniques of the Old Masters' to his own purposes in a selection of work he called Ideas of Truth, and his portfolio The Missing Weapon, which was shown at the Gallery Bernard in Solothurn
, Switzerland
, in 1968. After this he went on to develop more on his art technique, with shows in Switzerland from 1968 to 1972. During his time there he met and exhibited with H.R. Giger
.
In 1973 De Es went on to serve as the assistant to Ernst Fuchs
, at the Summer Academy in Reichenau
. It was in this time that De Es went through the Stone Period, in which his art work consisted mainly of objects and people made from cracked rock and stone (such as his famous 'triptych' painting The Joining, later displayed in SoHo
, New York City
for an entire year in 1977). During this period he held a series of exhibitions in Vienna and elsewhere in Europe
. His book Fundamental Images was published in this period.
De Es moved to SoHo
, New York City
in 1975, continuing his Stone Period of art work. In the 1979 he opened his own Gallery, Studio Planet Earth, before ending the Stone Period with a series of 'Time-Portals' paintings. While in New York he came into contact with Alex Grey
.
De Es's 1980s period of work opened with his work on the vast Transformation cycle of paintings, depicting 'Planetarians' (fictional beings invented by De Es), which were displayed at the Dome of Peace exhibition in 1980. This was followed by the publishing of his post-card book, Sharing the light in 1983. Three years later, in 1986, De Es returned to Austria, the same year in which Sphinx Verlag published the book The Philosopher's Stone in Basle. This book contained images and work from Fundamental Images. He ended his 1980s period of work with his first Planetarian sculptures, from 1987 to 1989, and the publication of his Dome of Peace works in an artwork portfolio.
In the early 1990s he continued with the Planetarian sculptures, with an outdoor exhibition of forty Planetarians at Gurten Mountain
, near Bern, Switzerland
, marking the 800th anniversary of the city. In 1993 he published his book Heavy Light, a selection of his work from throughout his life. He also started work on another book, Prime Matter, which covered his Stone Period, which was published over the following years.
He lives and continues to work in Austria.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he lived for a short time, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Chronology
De Es was born in 1942 in GrestenGresten
Gresten is a municipality in the district of Scheibbs in Lower Austria, Austria....
, Lower-Austria (then part of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
) as Dieter Schwertberger, the second son of two teachers. His father died during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, leaving his mother to raise him and his elder brother. He graduated from the Engineering School of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1962, aged 19.
His first decade as an artist began when he was taught to paint by Ernst Fuchs
Ernst Fuchs (artist)
Ernst Fuchs is an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, singer and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. In 1972 he acquired the derelict Otto Wagner Villa in Hütteldorf, which he restored and transformed...
, in the style of the 'Technique of the Old Masters' from 1963 onwards. These initial paintings were shown to the world in a one-man-show in the gallery of Professor Fuchs, in Vienna 1964. After this exhibition he went on to further study, and modify, the 'Techniques of the Old Masters' to his own purposes in a selection of work he called Ideas of Truth, and his portfolio The Missing Weapon, which was shown at the Gallery Bernard in Solothurn
Solothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, in 1968. After this he went on to develop more on his art technique, with shows in Switzerland from 1968 to 1972. During his time there he met and exhibited with H.R. Giger
Giger
Giger is a surname and may refer to:* Albert Giger , Swiss cross-country skier* Fabrice Giger , Swiss publisher and film producer* H. R...
.
In 1973 De Es went on to serve as the assistant to Ernst Fuchs
Ernst Fuchs (artist)
Ernst Fuchs is an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, singer and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. In 1972 he acquired the derelict Otto Wagner Villa in Hütteldorf, which he restored and transformed...
, at the Summer Academy in Reichenau
Reichenau
Reichenau is a village in the municipality of Tamins in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, where the two Rhine tributaries Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein meet, forming the Alpine Rhine....
. It was in this time that De Es went through the Stone Period, in which his art work consisted mainly of objects and people made from cracked rock and stone (such as his famous 'triptych' painting The Joining, later displayed in SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for an entire year in 1977). During this period he held a series of exhibitions in Vienna and elsewhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. His book Fundamental Images was published in this period.
De Es moved to SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1975, continuing his Stone Period of art work. In the 1979 he opened his own Gallery, Studio Planet Earth, before ending the Stone Period with a series of 'Time-Portals' paintings. While in New York he came into contact with Alex Grey
Alex Grey
Alex Grey is an American artist specializing in spiritual and psychedelic art that is sometimes associated with the New Age movement. Grey is a Vajrayana practitioner. His body of work spans a variety of forms including performance art, process art, installation art, sculpture, visionary art, and...
.
De Es's 1980s period of work opened with his work on the vast Transformation cycle of paintings, depicting 'Planetarians' (fictional beings invented by De Es), which were displayed at the Dome of Peace exhibition in 1980. This was followed by the publishing of his post-card book, Sharing the light in 1983. Three years later, in 1986, De Es returned to Austria, the same year in which Sphinx Verlag published the book The Philosopher's Stone in Basle. This book contained images and work from Fundamental Images. He ended his 1980s period of work with his first Planetarian sculptures, from 1987 to 1989, and the publication of his Dome of Peace works in an artwork portfolio.
In the early 1990s he continued with the Planetarian sculptures, with an outdoor exhibition of forty Planetarians at Gurten Mountain
Gurten (mountain)
The Gurten is a mountain situated just to the south of Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. It is high, and the summit yields views of Bern, of the Jura mountains and of the Alps....
, near Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, marking the 800th anniversary of the city. In 1993 he published his book Heavy Light, a selection of his work from throughout his life. He also started work on another book, Prime Matter, which covered his Stone Period, which was published over the following years.
He lives and continues to work in Austria.
Art work
- 1960s. This period is called Lightsearch by De Es. It involved work based on that of the Old Masters, which he used to his own purposes.
- 1970s. This period of work is called The Stone and Light by De Es. In this period he developed his Stone Period technique of painting pictures of beings and objects made from cracked stone and rock.
- 1980s. This period of work is called Transformation by De Es. During this time he went on to further develop his work, replacing the 'Stone' objects in his paintings, from the Stone Period, with images of people and objects made from light.
- 1990s. This period is called Nature and Higher Planes by De Es. De Es created Planetarian sculptures and paintings during this time, characterised by his exhibition of 40 'Planetarians' in Switzerland.
See also
- Ernst Fuchs (artist)Ernst Fuchs (artist)Ernst Fuchs is an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, singer and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. In 1972 he acquired the derelict Otto Wagner Villa in Hütteldorf, which he restored and transformed...
De Es's mentor - Fantastic realismFantastic RealismFantastic Realism can refer to:*Vienna School of Fantastic Realism, a 20th century group of artists in Vienna combining techniques of the Old Masters with religious and esoteric symbolism...
School of art - Vienna School of Fantastic RealismVienna School of Fantastic RealismThe Vienna School of Fantastic Realism is a group of artists founded in Vienna in 1946. It includes Ernst Fuchs, Arik Brauer, Rudolf Hausner, Wolfgang Hutter, Anton Lehmden and Fritz Janschka, all students of Professor Albert Paris Gütersloh at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts...
as a student of Fuchs De Es is of the 2nd generation
External links
- De Es's Website For information on De Es, his work and exhibitions
- Dome of Peace More of De Es' work and projects, including images of his 'Planetarians' from previous exhibitions, as well as future works (The 'Dome of Peace')
- De Es - Surreal Art Collective