Mercedes Helnwein
Encyclopedia
Mercedes Helnwein is a fine artist and writer
. She lives in Ireland
and Los Angeles
, CA.
. She and her brothers, Cyril, Ali, and Wolfgang Amadeus, have often modeled for their father’s work as children.
Helnwein’s art debuted in 2003, with her first group exhibition hosted in Los Angeles by art collector and actor Jason Lee
. This exhibition was followed by regular self-instigated one-night-shows at spaces throughout L.A. often with photographer Alex Prager with whom she founded Devils Porchlight Press in 2004. Thereafter, Helnwein began to exhibit in New York, Berlin, Dublin and London.
Mercedes Helnwein contributed art to the Beck
album, The Information
(2006), and appeared in his music video for "Gamma Ray
," filmed by photographer and filmmaker Autumn de Wilde
.
She is represented by the following galleries: Merry Karnowsky
Gallery (Los Angeles), Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin).
Damien Hirst
acquired the entire work of Helnwein's "Whistling Past the Graveyard" show, presented by A Gallery
in London.
In 2011 Helnwein directed the A/W 11 collection film for London-based fashion label Orla Kiely
.
for their “America Motel” installation.
Her debut novel, The Potential Hazards of Hester Day, was released in February 2008 by Simon & Schuster
.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. She lives in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CA.
Family and early life
Mercedes Helnwein was born in Vienna, Austria. Her father is Austro-Irish artist Gottfried HelnweinGottfried Helnwein
Gottfried Helnwein is an Austrian-Irish fine artist, painter, photographer, installation and performance artist.-Work:Helnwein studied at the University of Visual Art in Vienna...
. She and her brothers, Cyril, Ali, and Wolfgang Amadeus, have often modeled for their father’s work as children.
Fine art
Mercedes Helnwein is known mainly for her detailed works on paper with pencil. ' She also employs ink, paint, and with her exhibition "Temptation to be Good" (2010) she has started a series of work in oil pastel.Helnwein’s art debuted in 2003, with her first group exhibition hosted in Los Angeles by art collector and actor Jason Lee
Jason Lee (actor)
Jason Michael Lee is an American actor and skateboarder known for his role as the title character on the NBC television series My Name is Earl, his portrayal of Syndrome in the film The Incredibles, his role as Dave Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films, and his work with director Kevin...
. This exhibition was followed by regular self-instigated one-night-shows at spaces throughout L.A. often with photographer Alex Prager with whom she founded Devils Porchlight Press in 2004. Thereafter, Helnwein began to exhibit in New York, Berlin, Dublin and London.
Mercedes Helnwein contributed art to the Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
album, The Information
The Information
The Information is the tenth studio album by American alternative rock musician Beck, released in October 2006 on Interscope Records. It was produced and mixed by longtime Beck collaborator Nigel Godrich. Recording began in 2003 concurrently with Guero, but the album was not completed until 2006...
(2006), and appeared in his music video for "Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (song)
"Gamma Ray" is a song by Beck. It is seemingly inspired by the surf-rock songs of the 1960s, but with ghostly moans and lyrics on the state of the world. It was released as the second single from his album Modern Guilt on August 11, 2008. The single peaked at #19 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock...
," filmed by photographer and filmmaker Autumn de Wilde
Autumn de Wilde
Autumn de Wilde is an American photographer best known for her portraiture and commercial work photography of musicians.-Early life:...
.
She is represented by the following galleries: Merry Karnowsky
Merry Karnowsky
Merry Akane Karnowsky is a Los Angeles art dealer and gallerist of Japanese and Polish-German ancestry.Merry Karnowsky was born in Eastern Washington State and educated at Pitzer College - Claremont, California...
Gallery (Los Angeles), Dittrich & Schlechtriem (Berlin).
Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
acquired the entire work of Helnwein's "Whistling Past the Graveyard" show, presented by A Gallery
A Gallery
The A Gallery was a contemporary art gallery in Wimbledon, London run by Fraser Kee Scott.The gallery was founded in 1997. Its first exhibit was by then-recent graduate Alison Jackson. In 2004, the gallery exhibited a sculpture by Marie White of a nude female; some members of the public complained...
in London.
Film
Mercedes Helnwein includes video as a medium in her work. Her brother, Ali Helnwein, composed the scores for "East of Eden" as well as "Faking it" and "Whistling Past the Graveyard." The films are reminiscent of the characters depicted in her drawings.In 2011 Helnwein directed the A/W 11 collection film for London-based fashion label Orla Kiely
Orla Kiely
Orla Kiely is an Irish fashion designer based in London. Although she started work on hat design, she has since moved into design work on handbags and her designs have been featured on a variety of other items including kitchenware and cars. She received a Master's degree from the Royal College of...
.
Writing
In 2004, her travelogue, “Devil Got Religion,” covered the 15-day road trip with photographer Alex Prager and actress Beth RiesgrafBeth Riesgraf
Beth Jean Riesgraf is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Parker in the TNT TV series Leverage.Originally from Belle Plaine, Minnesota - Riesgraf is the youngest of six girls...
for their “America Motel” installation.
Her debut novel, The Potential Hazards of Hester Day, was released in February 2008 by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
.
Reviews
- Publishers Weekly, "The Potential Hazards of Hester Day"
- New York Magazine, "Making Cindy Sherman Proud"
- BlackBook magazine, "The New Literary Enfant Terrible"
- BlackBook magazine, "Whistling Past the Graveyard"
- Brand X (Los Angeles Times), "East of Eden"
- LA Weekly, "East of Eden"
- Los Angeles Times, "Rooms with a View of America’s Heartland"
- The Irish Times, "A mixture of assertive and uncertain"
- Irish Independent, "Putting down roots in south Tipperary"
- Anthem magazine, "Mercedes Helnwein, 'Whistling Past the Graveyard' Recap"
- Campus Circle, "Mercedes Helnwein: Whistling Past the Graveyard"
- MF magazine, "Mercedes Helnwein"
- THE Magazine, Los Angeles, "Whistling Past the Graveyard"
External links
- Mercedes Helnwein: official website
- Mercedes Helnwein on MySpace
- Mercedes Helnwein on YouTube
- Mercedes Helnwein at Simon & Schuster
- Mercedes Helnwein at Merry Karnowsky Gallery
- Mercedes Helnwein at Pool Gallery, Berlin
- Mercedes Helnwein at Molesworth Gallery, Dublin
- Mercedes Helnwein at Bo Lee Gallery
- artist page at ArtSlant
- artist page at ArtNet
- WeActivist page at We Are the Superlative Conspiracy (WeSC)