Otto Piene

Otto Piene ( born April 18, 1928 in Laasphe ) is a German artist and co-founder of the artist group ZERO. He is considered a pioneer of light and fire art as well as the Sky - type actions.

Life

Otto Piene grew up in Luebbecke. After graduation in 1947, he studied from 1949 to 1950 painting and art education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and from 1950 to 1953 at the Art Academy in Dusseldorf. Between 1951 and 1964 he worked as a lecturer at the Fashion Institute in Dusseldorf. From 1953 to 1957 he occupied at the University of Cologne to study in Philosophy and graduated with a state exam. In response to the abstract Informal Piene founded together with Heinz Mack on April 11, 1957 in Dusseldorf later internationally influential artist group ZERO ( "Zero Art" ), the Günther Uecker joined in 1961.

At the University of Pennsylvania, he took over in 1964 as a visiting professor. From 1968 to 1971 he was established in 1967 by Gyorgy Kepes Fellow of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies ( CAVS ). He was Professor of Visual Design for Environmental Art (Professor of Environmental Art) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 1974 he was appointed director of the CAVS, whose leadership he held until 1994 1972.

Piene lives and works in Groton / Massachusetts, Boston and Dusseldorf.

Work

The in founding the group "ZERO" prevailing idea was from the level "zero" outbound complete new start in painting and involvement in the artistic creation of light ( and shadow ), and - for Piene - even by fire. Your intuition common Mack and Piene and 1961 in the journal " ZERO".

In 1959, Piene designed with reference to elemental nature energy light ballets and smoke images. The practice of smoking images he continues to this day. The traces of fire and smoke are important elements of these works. He also experimented with multimedia combinations ( 1960). Piene is particularly known by the light of ballet and other light- kinetic works. In addition, he created due to his intense involvement with light and air movement and light sculptures.

Awards

Exhibitions (selection)

The marked "K" shows a catalog was published.

Works (selection)

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