Otto Abt

Hans Otto Abt ( born June 9, 1903 in Binningen, † October 1, 1982 in Basel) was a Swiss painter.

Life

Otto was born Abt 1903 in Binningen in the canton of Basel-Land, the son of a doctor. He studied medicine at the University of Basel, but abandoned his studies after two years off and concentrated on his training as a painter at the trade school in Basel. There he met the painter Walter Kurt Wiemken and Walter Bodmer, with whom he remained connected by a lifelong friendship. Since 1927, carried out joint study trips to countries such as Spain and southern France, and longer studies in Paris, where Abbot came into contact with the Parisian avant-garde painting. Through exposure to the works Matisse, Picasso and Dalí, and the friendship with the Surrealist painter Serge Brignoni he developed his own, surrealist influenced style of painting.

In an effort to recognition of modern, abstract - concrete and surrealist painting in Switzerland, founded Abbot and some other artists Basel 1933, the anti-fascist oriented " Group 33 ". In 1936, he joined the " alliance" to, an association of modern Swiss artists who also campaigned for the propagation of non-representational art. The war years were spent Otto Abt, who was a staunch opponent of fascism and war, in Ticino.

Since the 50s Abbot operated increasingly in various artistic fields; next to the easel painting, he created murals and stained-glass windows in public buildings, majolica and mosaic. He also participated, along with other artists of the group 33, since the 1920s, " Basel artist larvae " in the development and design of, artfully designed larvae, which are common in the Basel carnival. His tomb is located on the Wolf graveyard.

Works

Abbot rejection of fascism and its socio-critical attitude is reflected in many of his works. Were determined by impressionistic influences and a clayey painting his early work, he developed over the years, his painting style influenced by surrealism, which is characterized by object alienation and fantastic picture elements. In his late work Abbot grabbed increasingly to landscape motifs and still life. Abbot's work has been shown in numerous exhibitions, mainly in Switzerland.

Selection of his works:

• Before Sunrise ( majolica ), 1934, Fountain jewelry, Peter School, Basel
• Aurore ( painting ), 1935, Kunstmuseum Basel
• Composition (wall painting ), 1968, mirror box, school, Binningen
• Seasons ( glass pictures ), 1974-76, crematorium at the cemetery elbow macaroni, Riehen
• Scenic composition (wall painting), 1975-77, Age settlement " to the three fountains ", Riehen