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Karl Prantl

Biography

Karl Prantl, born in 1923 in Pöttsching, Austria  is one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. He founds the European Sculpture Symposium in St. Margarethen, Austria, and his work makes a major national and international impact on the understanding of sculpture. Prantl is an autodidact in the field of sculpture. After studying painting with Albert Paris Gütersloh at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts from 1946 to 1952, he turns towards the field of sculpture from the mid-1950s onwards. Henceforth stone becomes the dominant material in his œuvre. In this time he is associated to the Vienna Artists group Der Kreis.

Prantl receives important Artprizes as German critics award in the devision fine art in 1962, the Prize of the city of Vienna for fine arts in 1968, the Austrian medal of honour for science and art in 2005, the Sparda-Bank Southwest Prize for special achievements of art in the public space in 2007 and finally the great Austrian state prize for fine art in 2008.

Landscapes and nature not only become Prantl's favourite workplace, together with the theme of borders, but these become the central elements in his works. In his home-town of Pötsching many of his sculptures are placed along a long, narrow field – the intention being to emphasize the history of the region's former strip farming. The eye is guided through the sculptures towards the hills, where the border between Austria and Hungary lies in the distance. Prantl always tries to break down barriers between different cultures and countries, and he uses his art as an expression of this intention. Karl Prantl dies in 2010 in Pöttsching. 

 

 

Exhibitions (Selection)

1955 Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz   |   1960 Junge Galerie, Vienna   |   1961 Galerie Krzywe Kolo, Warsaw   |   1962 New Vision Center Gallery, London   |   1967 Gallery Staempfli, New York Studio UND, Munich   |   1969 Solo-show, Galleria Milano   |   1971 Aarauer Kunsthaus Galerie Zähringer, Berne   |   1972 Österreichisches Kunstzentrum, Vienna   |   1973 Galerie Verna, Zurich   |   1977 Galerie S. Fischer, Baden-Baden   |   1978 Samuel Stein Fine Arts, Chicago   |   1980 Kunsthalle, Kiel   |   1981 Kunstverein, Frankfurt on the Main   |   1983 Kunsthalle, Hamburg   |   1986 Biennale Venice   |   1991 Galerie am Lindenplatz, Liechtenstein Kunsthalle Schaan, Nuremberg   |   1994 Single exhibition Sculpture Park, Yorkshire 1998 Galerie Karsten Greve, Paris   |   2001 Tschechisches Museum, Prague   |   2004 Museum Morandi, Bologna   |   2007 LABORATORIUM, Institut für Aktuelle Kunst im Saarland   |   2014-2015 Karl Prantl, Albertina, Vienna   |   2017 Tu Felix Austria! Hans Bischoffshausen, Arnulf Rainer, Karl Prantl. Galerie Salis & Galerie Dierking @ Art Cologne   |   2018 Karl Prantl - Meditation, Dierking, Zürich   |   2021-2022 Group show In Situ? Über Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Kunsthalle Nurnberg   |   2021-2023 Group show Avantgarde und Gegenwart. Die Sammlung Belvedere von Lassnig bis Knebl, Belvedere 21, Vienna.

26. Apr -

Art Cologne 2017
Cologne
MORE

21. Feb -

Karl Prantl - Meditation
Zurich
MORE

Karl Prantl

Biography

Karl Prantl, born in 1923 in Pöttsching, Austria  is one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. He founds the European Sculpture Symposium in St. Margarethen, Austria, and his work makes a major national and international impact on the understanding of sculpture. Prantl is an autodidact in the field of sculpture. After studying painting with Albert Paris Gütersloh at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts from 1946 to 1952, he turns towards the field of sculpture from the mid-1950s onwards. Henceforth stone becomes the dominant material in his œuvre. In this time he is associated to the Vienna Artists group Der Kreis.

Prantl receives important Artprizes as German critics award in the devision fine art in 1962, the Prize of the city of Vienna for fine arts in 1968, the Austrian medal of honour for science and art in 2005, the Sparda-Bank Southwest Prize for special achievements of art in the public space in 2007 and finally the great Austrian state prize for fine art in 2008.

Landscapes and nature not only become Prantl's favourite workplace, together with the theme of borders, but these become the central elements in his works. In his home-town of Pötsching many of his sculptures are placed along a long, narrow field – the intention being to emphasize the history of the region's former strip farming. The eye is guided through the sculptures towards the hills, where the border between Austria and Hungary lies in the distance. Prantl always tries to break down barriers between different cultures and countries, and he uses his art as an expression of this intention. Karl Prantl dies in 2010 in Pöttsching. 

 

 

Exhibitions (Selection)

1955 Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz   |   1960 Junge Galerie, Vienna   |   1961 Galerie Krzywe Kolo, Warsaw   |   1962 New Vision Center Gallery, London   |   1967 Gallery Staempfli, New York Studio UND, Munich   |   1969 Solo-show, Galleria Milano   |   1971 Aarauer Kunsthaus Galerie Zähringer, Berne   |   1972 Österreichisches Kunstzentrum, Vienna   |   1973 Galerie Verna, Zurich   |   1977 Galerie S. Fischer, Baden-Baden   |   1978 Samuel Stein Fine Arts, Chicago   |   1980 Kunsthalle, Kiel   |   1981 Kunstverein, Frankfurt on the Main   |   1983 Kunsthalle, Hamburg   |   1986 Biennale Venice   |   1991 Galerie am Lindenplatz, Liechtenstein Kunsthalle Schaan, Nuremberg   |   1994 Single exhibition Sculpture Park, Yorkshire 1998 Galerie Karsten Greve, Paris   |   2001 Tschechisches Museum, Prague   |   2004 Museum Morandi, Bologna   |   2007 LABORATORIUM, Institut für Aktuelle Kunst im Saarland   |   2014-2015 Karl Prantl, Albertina, Vienna   |   2017 Tu Felix Austria! Hans Bischoffshausen, Arnulf Rainer, Karl Prantl. Galerie Salis & Galerie Dierking @ Art Cologne   |   2018 Karl Prantl - Meditation, Dierking, Zürich   |   2021-2022 Group show In Situ? Über Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Kunsthalle Nurnberg   |   2021-2023 Group show Avantgarde und Gegenwart. Die Sammlung Belvedere von Lassnig bis Knebl, Belvedere 21, Vienna.

26. Apr -

Art Cologne 2017
Cologne
MORE

21. Feb -

Karl Prantl - Meditation
Zurich
MORE
26. Apr -

Art Cologne 2017

Cologne
MORE
21. Feb -

Karl Prantl - Meditation

Zurich
MORE
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