HUNDERTWASSER

Hundertwasser is one of the most important artists & architects to emerge from the latter half of the 20th-century and is certainly by far the most important Austrian one.

Hundertwasser, Tokyo, 1961 © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

Born in Vienna on December 15th, 1928 as Friedrich Stowasser, the following year saw the death of his father. By 1934, at age six, Friedrich had produced his first juvenile drawings. 1943 saw his first deliberate crayon naturalistic drawings. During this year about 69 Jewish relations on his mother's side were deported and killed during the 2nd World War.

He achieved his school-leaving certificate in 1948 & spent three months at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, under Prof. Robin Christian Andersen. He became lastingly influenced by Walter Kampmann and Schiele exhibitions.

1949 saw the start of extensive travelling to Italy. In Florence he met René Brô and followed him to Paris. Developed his own style and adopted the name Hundertwasser.

Hundertwasser and René Brô in front of mural, 1950s © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1952, Hundertwasser had his first exhibition at the Art Club of Vienna. 1953 saw him paint his first spiral. 1954 saw his first exhibition in Paris at Studio Paul Facchetti. Developed the theory of transautomatism and began to number his works.

Hundertwasser - The Big Way © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1959 he received the Sanbra Prize at the 5th Sao Paulo Biennial. Founded the Pintorarium, a universal academy of all creative fields, with Ernst Fuchs and Arnulf Rainer. As guest lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg, he drew the Endless Line. Resigned following a scandal.

Visited Japan in 1960. Received the Mainichi Prize. In 1961 he married Yuko Ikewada (divorced 1966) and had a successful retrospective at the Venice Biennial.

1967 saw Hundertwasser travel to Uganda and the Sudan. Nude demonstration for the Right to a Third Skin was seen in Munich.

Hundertwasser, Speech in the Nude (censored), Vienna, 1967 © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1968 a second nude speech and reading of architecture boycott manifesto Los von Loos was seen in Vienna. Sailed to Venice in an old wooden sailing ship, converting it into the Regentag.

Hundertwasser, Regentag film poster © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1972 collaborated with Peter Schamoni on the film Hundertwasser Regentag. Demonstrated for roof forestation and individual facade design. Published manifesto Your window right - your tree duty.

First portfolio with Japanese woodcuts: Nana Hyaku Mizu in 1971. Hundertwasser was the first European painter to have his works cut by Japanese masters.

Hundertwasser, 1975 Austria stamp © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

1975 saw the publication of the manifesto Humus Toilet. Designed postage stamp for Austria: Spiral Tree, engraved by Wolfgang Seidel. World travelling exhibition tour Austria presents Hundertwasser to the Continents began at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.

Hundertwasser, Peace Flag, 1978 © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1978 he designed the Peace Flag for the Near East with a green Arab crescent moon and blue Star of David and published his Peace Manifesto.

Hundertwasser, Arche Noah poster © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1980 Hundertwasser Day in Washington, D.C. was proclaimed by Mayor Marion Barry Jr. Presented anti-nuclear poster Plant Trees Avert Nuclear Peril and environmental poster Arche Noah 2000. Spoke on ecology against nuclear power.

Hundertwasser, Save The Seas poster © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

As architecture doctor in 1982, redesigned the facade of the Rosenthal Factory. Hundertwasser Week in San Francisco marked the presentation of posters Save the Whales and Save the Seas to Greenpeace.

Hundertwasser, UNO Stamp, 1983 © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

1983 saw six postage stamps for the United Nations, engraved by Wolfgang Seidel. Cornerstone of the Hundertwasser House was laid in Vienna. Designed a flag for New Zealand, the Koru.

Hundertwasser, Hainburg poster © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

Took active part in the campaign to save Hainburg wetlands. Camped there for a week. Designed the poster Hainburg - Die freie Natur ist unsere Freiheit.

On 17 February 1986 the Hundertwasser House was turned over to the tenants; 70,000 visitors attended the Open House.

Hundertwasser, Spittelau © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

In 1988, at the invitation of the Mayor of Vienna, Helmut Zilk, he redesigned Vienna's Spittelau District Heating Plant. Awarded the Golden Medal of Honour of the City of Vienna.

Hundertwasser, In the Meadow Hills © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

1989 saw Hundertwasser build his Hügelwiesenland in the Meadow Hills model. In 1990 he worked on numerous architectural projects including KunstHausWien.

Hundertwasser, KunstHausWien © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

1991 saw completion of KunstHausWien which opened on April 9. Conceptualised the Thermal Village Blumau, Styria.

In 1992 Hundertwasser designed 4 telephone cards for the Austrian Postal Service and a postage stamp. In Tokyo his 21st Century Clock Monument was installed.

Hundertwasser, Blumau © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

Worked on Blumau Hot Springs Village in 1995. Redesigned the Martin-Luther-Grammar School in Wittenberg, Germany.

1997 saw inauguration of the Rogner Thermal Bath in Blumau, Styria. Designed model for architecture project MOP for Osaka, Japan.

Hundertwasser, Mop Incinerator, Osaka © NAMIDA AG, Glarus, Switzerland

1998 saw retrospective at Institute Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt. Submersion of Atlantis ceramic-mural was installed at Oriente station in Lisbon.

Hundertwasser lived and worked in New Zealand in 1999. Architectural projects included Sludge Center, Osaka; The Green Citadel of Magdeburg and Uelzen Railroad Station, Germany.

Died on Saturday, February 19, 2000, in the Pacific, on board the Queen Elizabeth 2 from a heart attack. Buried in harmony with nature on his land in New Zealand, in the Garden of the Happy Deads, under a tulip tree.