Artists/Georg Baselitz

Georg Baselitz's exploration of German national identity post-World War II through his art is a complex and multifaceted journey. Born Hans-Georg Kern in 1938 in Deutschbaselitz, Germany, Baselitz's work is deeply influenced by the experiences and aftermath of the war. His renaming of himself after his hometown is a testament to the profound connection he feels with his German roots and the collective memory of the nation's turbulent history​ (SHURUA(R)T)​.

Baselitz's early works in the 1960s, such as "The Rebel," showcase archetypal figures like heroes, rebels, and shepherds, depicted with distorted proportions and exaggerated anatomical structures. These figures often appear wounded and limping, embodying the scars of a nation recovering from the atrocities of war. The imagery draws from Baselitz's childhood exposure to the violence of WWII and German Romanticism, reflecting a deep engagement with the landscape and nature as expressions of national identity and sentiment​ (The Art Story)​.

A significant shift in Baselitz's approach to painting emerged with his inverted paintings, starting with "Der Wald auf dem Kopf" (The Wood On Its Head) in 1969. This technique was not merely a stylistic choice but a radical attempt to subvert traditional modes of representation and perception. By upending his subject matter, Baselitz challenges viewers to reconsider their understanding of the depicted forms, thus abstracting the familiar and complicating the process of identification. This inversion can be seen as a metaphor for the upheaval experienced by Germany and its struggle to redefine its identity in the post-war period​ (The Art Story)​.

Throughout the 1970s and beyond, Baselitz continued to invert his canvases, a practice that distanced him further from reality and focused more on the formal qualities of line, shape, and color. His method of painting upside down was not just a technical experiment but also an expressive tool to engage with the themes of destruction and reconstruction inherent in the German psyche post-WWII. The inversion disrupts conventional iconography, forcing a reconsideration of the content and its cultural implications​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

In the 1980s, Baselitz's work, including the controversial "Modell für eine Skulptur" (Model for a Sculpture), further engaged with themes of national identity and memory. The sculpture's crude form and the controversial gesture reminiscent of a Nazi salute sparked debates about contemporary German identity and the country's historical legacies. This work, like many others by Baselitz, probes the complexities of German history, memory, and the process of cultural introspection and critique​ (The Art Story)​.

Baselitz's engagement with German national identity is deeply intertwined with his exploration of expressive forms, the manipulation of traditional art historical references, and the challenging of viewer expectations. His work invites a reflection on the ways in which trauma, memory, and identity are constructed and deconstructed in the visual domain. Through his unique language of inversion and expressive distortion, Baselitz confronts the viewer with the unresolved tensions of Germany's past and its ongoing negotiation of a national self-image in the shadow of World War II​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​​ (SHURUA(R)T)​.

The theme of inversion and abstraction is central to the art of Georg Baselitz, offering a radical departure from traditional representation and engaging deeply with the materiality of painting and sculpture. Baselitz's pioneering inversion technique, where he presents his subjects upside down, fundamentally shifts the viewer's engagement with the work, transforming the act of viewing into an exploration of form, color, and texture, rather than a straightforward recognition of subject matter.

Baselitz's turn to inversion began in earnest with his painting "Der Wald auf dem Kopf" (The Wood On Its Head) in 1969. This approach was not merely a gimmick but a profound exploration of painting's potential. By flipping his canvases, Baselitz disrupts the conventional hierarchy of form and content, compelling the viewer to focus on the painting's formal aspects—its brushwork, color, and composition—over the recognizable elements of the depicted subjects. This method challenges the viewer's expectations and perceptions, inviting a deeper engagement with the painting as a physical object rather than a mere representation​ (The Art Story)​.

This technique of inversion also serves as a means for Baselitz to engage with abstraction, albeit in a unique manner that distinguishes him from both the abstract expressionists and the figurative painters of his time. While his work contains recognizable elements, the act of inversion shifts these elements towards abstraction. The viewer is compelled to see the familiar in a new and disorienting way, blurring the line between the representational and the abstract. This interplay is a key aspect of Baselitz's exploration of the medium, where the act of painting itself, and the viewer's engagement with it, become central themes of his work​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

Furthermore, Baselitz's approach to abstraction is deeply informed by his study and reinterpretation of art history. His inverted images do not exist in a vacuum but dialogue with a vast array of influences, from the Mannerists to African sculpture, to Soviet-era illustration art. Through inversion, Baselitz revisits and reimagines these influences, stripping them of their original context and emphasizing their formal qualities. This process allows him to explore the essence of painting and sculpture, challenging the viewer to reconsider their understanding of art history and the possibilities of representation​ (SHURUA(R)T)​.

In addition to his painted works, Baselitz's sculptures also reflect his interest in inversion and abstraction. His sculptural works often feature rough-hewn, crudely carved figures that echo the distorted forms of his paintings. These sculptures, too, play with the viewer's expectations and perceptions, engaging with the materiality of wood and the act of carving in a way that emphasizes form and texture over immediate recognizability. Through these works, Baselitz extends his exploration of inversion and abstraction into three dimensions, further complicating the relationship between form and content, abstraction and representation​ (The Art Story)​.

The themes of inversion and abstraction in Georg Baselitz's art represent a profound interrogation of the nature of painting and sculpture. Through his innovative techniques and his engagement with art historical precedents, Baselitz challenges conventional modes of representation, inviting viewers to explore the material and formal aspects of art in new and unexpected ways. His work remains a critical contribution to contemporary art, offering a unique perspective on the possibilities of abstraction and the enduring power of the image​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​​ (SHURUA(R)T)​.

Georg Baselitz's art continually challenges the viewer's perceptions, employing inversion and provocative figuration to disrupt conventional ways of seeing and interpreting art. Since the late 1950s, Baselitz has carved out a distinctive place within the art world, utilizing upside-down imagery to focus attention not just on the subject matter of his works but on their composition, form, and the very process of painting itself. This approach has enabled Baselitz to slow down the viewer's comprehension, forcing a more deliberate engagement with the artwork beyond initial appearances​ (Gagosian)​.

The theme of challenging perceptions is evident in Baselitz's early encounters with the art world, where his work provoked scandal and controversy. His first solo exhibition in West Berlin in 1963, for example, was met with public scandal due to the perceived obscenity of the content, underscoring Baselitz's willingness to confront and defy societal norms and expectations​ (Wikipedia)​. This tendency towards provocation and challenging the status quo has remained a consistent element of his practice.

Baselitz's method of inverting his subjects, which began in earnest in 1969, serves as a means to emphasize the organization of colors and forms, confronting the viewer with the painting's surface rather than allowing them to become ensnared in the personal or identifiable content of the image. By doing so, Baselitz invites the viewer to see his paintings as objects in their own right, devoid of narrative or subjectivity and challenging the viewer to engage with them on a purely visual and formal level​ (Wikipedia)​.

The Hirshhorn Museum's survey of Baselitz's work, as detailed by the Smithsonian Magazine, highlights the artist's long-standing commitment to challenging viewers' perceptions. Through his inverted figures, Baselitz not only draws attention to the act of painting itself but also to the viewer's role in interpreting the artwork. This inversion technique serves to distance the works from reality, reducing the images to their base formal qualities of line, shape, and color, thereby challenging traditional iconography and the viewer's expectations​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

Throughout his career, Baselitz's work has embodied a confrontation with viewer perceptions, employing inversion, abstraction, and gestural expressionism to forge a unique and challenging body of work. His paintings and sculptures compel the viewer to reconsider not only what they see but how they see it, engaging in a deeper dialogue with the artwork that transcends conventional visual narratives.

Georg Baselitz's exploration of the outsider theme in his artwork is a profound reflection on the human condition, societal norms, and the history of his native Germany. Through his innovative and often controversial approach, Baselitz examines the concept of the outsider, not just as a societal figure but also in relation to the broader historical and cultural contexts.

In his "Heroes" or "New Types" series created between 1965 and 1966, Baselitz delves into the motif of the outsider through figures that appear desolate, broken, and disheveled. These characters, often depicted alone in barren landscapes, lack a clear nationality or place, symbolizing the aftermath of the World War II and the rejection of both Nazi and East German ideals. The subjects' naked, exposed bodies and open-handed gestures convey vulnerability and a plea for understanding, positioning them as emblematic outsiders—disenfranchised and estranged from the post-war society they inhabit. This series represents a metaphorical image of individuals who, through their disheveled appearance, reflect Baselitz's examination of his own childhood experiences in the countryside, blurring the lines between personal history and broader societal narratives​ (Wikipedia)​.

Baselitz's work is also deeply rooted in an engagement with German Expressionism and its reliance on "primitive" sources such as non-Western art, folk art, and the art produced by children and the mentally ill. By employing a deliberately crude style and a vivid color palette, Baselitz aims to convey raw emotion, further emphasizing the theme of the outsider by challenging conventional aesthetic norms and provoking viewer response. His early works, which were often considered obscene and shocking, were intended to disturb and confront societal taboos, further emphasizing the artist's preoccupation with those who exist on the fringes of society​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​.

Moreover, Baselitz's distinctive method of displaying his subjects upside down since 1969 serves as a conceptual tool to emphasize the surface and the process of painting over the subject matter itself. This inversion disrupts the conventional viewing experience and invites the audience to engage with the artwork on a more profound level. By upending the visual narrative, Baselitz underscores the absurdity and madness of the atrocities committed during World War II, casting a critical eye on the societal constructs that delineate insiders from outsiders. This approach not only reflects his ongoing exploration of the outsider theme but also challenges the viewer's perceptions, encouraging a deeper contemplation of the artwork beyond its immediate appearance​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​.

Through these themes and techniques, Baselitz's work offers a nuanced and critical examination of the outsider, blending personal history with broader cultural and societal commentary. His art remains a pivotal contribution to the dialogue on identity, exclusion, and the human experience in the post-war era.

Georg Baselitz's career has been marked by a consistent engagement with themes of controversy and confrontation, from the explicit content of his early works to the radical inversion of his subjects. His first solo exhibition in West Berlin in 1963 became a public scandal, leading to the confiscation of artworks like "The Big Night Down The Drain" and "The Naked Man" by authorities on grounds of obscenity. These early controversies were emblematic of Baselitz's willingness to confront societal norms and push the boundaries of acceptable art. His work not only challenged the viewer's aesthetic sensibilities but also engaged with deeper societal taboos, reflecting a broader critique of post-war German society​ (The Art Story)​​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​.

Baselitz's introduction of inverted paintings in 1969 further cemented his reputation as an artist unafraid to provoke and challenge. This technique was not just a visual trick but a profound statement on the nature of perception and representation in art. By turning his subjects upside down, Baselitz forced viewers to engage with his works in a manner that prioritized form, color, and composition over recognizable content. This inversion strategy was a deliberate attempt to disrupt conventional viewing patterns and invite deeper contemplation on the part of the viewer. It served to distance his work from reality, emphasizing the artifice of painting and underscoring the madness of Germany's historical atrocities during World War II​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

Throughout his career, Baselitz has remained a figure of controversy and confrontation, whether through his engagement with German history, his exploration of raw human emotion through expressive figuration, or his challenges to the conventions of painting and sculpture. His work invites, and sometimes demands, that viewers question their perceptions and assumptions, making him a pivotal figure in the Neo-Expressionist movement and a key contributor to the discourse on modern and contemporary art​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​.

The influence of American Expressionism on Georg Baselitz's work is profound and multifaceted, reflecting a deep engagement with the movement's emphasis on raw, emotional expression through art. Baselitz's encounter with the freeing expressionism of Willem de Kooning, after seeing a traveling U.S. exhibition in Berlin, played a significant role in shaping his artistic direction. This exhibition, which included works by American Expressionists, notably Jackson Pollock and de Kooning himself, left a lasting impression on Baselitz, propelling him to draw inspiration from the freedom of their brushwork and the intensity of their artistic expression​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

Baselitz's interest in American Expressionism is evident in his bold strokes and expressive use of paint, which he employed to convey intense emotion and raw energy in his works. This influence is intertwined with his determination to carve out a unique artistic path, distinct yet informed by the expressive power he admired in American art. His subsequent development of the inversion technique, where he painted subjects upside down, can be seen as an extension of this engagement with expressionism, aimed at challenging conventional perceptions and emphasizing the painting's formal qualities over its representational content​ (Smithsonian Magazine)​.

Moreover, Baselitz's engagement with themes of disruption, fragmentation, and the exploration of the human condition mirrors the concerns of American Expressionists, who sought to capture the complexity of the post-war world through their art. By turning his subjects upside down, Baselitz not only redefined the act of painting but also engaged in a deeper exploration of form and abstraction, drawing upon the legacy of expressionism to question and redefine the possibilities of art itself​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​​ (The Art Story)​.

Throughout his career, Baselitz has remained a pivotal figure in the art world, continuously exploring and expanding upon the expressive potential of painting and sculpture. His work, deeply influenced by American Expressionism, stands as a testament to the enduring power of art to confront, challenge, and transform our understanding of the world around us​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​​ (The Art Story)​.

Georg Baselitz's engagement with the theme of revisitation and alteration of earlier works, particularly evident in his "Remix" series initiated in 2005, highlights a significant aspect of his artistic evolution. In this series, Baselitz re-engages with his own historical repertoire, offering new interpretations and reconfigurations of his previous subjects. This not only signifies an ideal continuity between his past and present works but also allows Baselitz to delve deeper into the most provocative aspects of his oeuvre, such as "Die grosse Nacht im Eimer" and "Die grossen Freunde." The "Remix" paintings, characterized by their bright, transparent hues and dynamic lines, stand as radical reimaginings of their originals. These works, executed with a sense of spontaneity, are described as part caricature and part ghost of their predecessors, embodying Baselitz's contemplation on themes such as time, presence, failure, and possibility​ (Guggenheim Tour)​.

Baselitz's approach to the "Remix" series reveals his philosophical stance towards artistic creation and the passage of time. He likens his process to looking back from the rear of a train or the stern of a boat, suggesting a preference for retrospection over the forward gaze typically associated with progression. This backward glance allows Baselitz to engage with his work's historical context, reinterpreting it with the benefit of hindsight and a matured perspective. Through this process, Baselitz not only revisits but also redefines and revitalizes his earlier works, infusing them with new energy and insights. The use of vibrant colors and more agile brushstrokes in the "Remix" paintings contrasts with the earthy tones and solid bulks of the original "Heroes" series, indicating a significant evolution in Baselitz's artistic language and thematic focus​ (Gagosian)​.

Furthermore, Baselitz's interest in revisiting and altering his earlier works is reflective of his broader artistic philosophy, which encompasses a critical engagement with the history and trajectory of his own practice. By re-approaching his past creations, Baselitz opens up a dialogic space within his oeuvre, where the past and present coalesce and inform each other. This iterative process not only highlights the fluidity and expansiveness of Baselitz's creative vision but also underscores the intrinsic value he places on the act of looking back as a source of artistic renewal and innovation​ (The Art Story)​.