Alfred Hrdlicka

Mahnmal gegen Krieg und Faschismus, Vienna, Albertinaplatz

Bronze sculpture of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, at a side entrance of the Stadtkirche church, Germany

Statue of kneeling Jew, located at the base of the Monument against War and Fascism, Albertinaplatz

Alfred Hrdlicka (German pronunciation: [ˌalfʁeːt ˈhʁdlɪtʃka]; 27 February 1928 in Vienna – 5 December 2009) was an Austrian sculptor, draughtsman, painter and artist. His surname is sometimes written Hrdlička.

After learning to be a dental technician from 1943 to 1945, Hrdlicka studied painting until 1952 at the Akademie der bildenden Künste under Albert Paris Gütersloh and Josef Dobrowsky. Afterwards he studied sculpture until 1957 under Fritz Wotruba. In 1960 he had his first exhibition in Vienna; in 1964 he attained international attention as a representative of Austria at the Venice Biennale, Italy.

In 2008, his new religious work about the Apostles, Religion, Flesh and Power, attracted criticism about its homoerotic theme. The exhibition was housed in the museum of the St. Stephen's Cathedral of Vienna. He taught many sculptors, such as Hans Sailer, Angela Laich and others.

Works (selection)

• Roll over Mondrian. Etching, 1967.
• Friedrich Engels Monument in Wuppertal, 1981.
• Gegendenkmal at the Stephansplatz in Hamburg, 1985–86.
• Mahnmal gegen Krieg und Faschismus (Memorial against War and Fascism) on the Albertinaplatz in Vienna. Sculpture, 1988–91.

Exhibitions (selection)

• 1960: Wiener-Kunsthalle, Zedlitzgasse, Vienna (with Fritz Martinz)
• 1962: Künstlerhaus, Französischer Saal, Vienna (with Fritz Martinz)
• 1963: Ausstellungspavillon Zwerglgarten, Salzburg (organized by Galerie Welz)
• 1964: 32. Biennale (Venice), with Herbert Boeckl
• 2008: Werkschau in der Kunsthalle Würth (Schwäbisch Hall)
• 2010: Belvedere (Wien): Alfred Hrdlicka. Unsparing!

Literature

• Alfred Weidinger: Alfred Hrdlicka - Parallelwelten. Biografische Notizen 1928-1964. In: Alfred Hrdlicka - Schonungslos!. Bibliothek der Provinz, Weitra 2010, S. 13–56.
• Bettina Secker: Alfred Hrdlicka-Neolithikum, Kindler, Munich, 1984

Notes

Hrdlicka was a talented chess player. In 1953 Austria sent him to participate in the Student World Championship in Brussels.

References

• 3. J. Weidenfels, "Hrdlicka, Sculptor, Citoyen", in: Art in Society, issue # 10 http://www.art-in-society.de/AS10/AH/Hrdlicka-1A.html

External links

• Official website
• Monument against War and Fascism in Vienna Austria See a video of his most important monument in Vienna.
• Alfred Hrdlicka at the aeiou Encyclopedia Template:De icon
• Galerie Ernst Hilger | Images of works of Hrdlicka
• Sculptures by Alfred Hrdlicka
• Furor, debate over Jesus orgy drawing