Births on January 23

Georg Baselitz, German painter and sculptor

Georg Baselitz, born Hans-Georg Kern on 23 January 1938, is a towering figure in contemporary German art, renowned for his influential contributions as a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist. His artistic journey has been marked by a relentless questioning of established norms, transforming his personal history into a universal language of disruption and renewal.

The Genesis of a Revolutionary Style: Early Works and the Inversion

Baselitz first rose to prominence in the 1960s with his profoundly figurative and expressive paintings. These early works, often characterized by raw intensity and a confronting immediacy, positioned him as a significant voice within the burgeoning art scene, later to be associated with Neo-Expressionism and the "Neue Wilde" movement in Germany. His canvases from this period often depicted distorted, powerful figures, challenging conventional notions of beauty and harmony.

A pivotal moment in Baselitz's career, and indeed in art history, occurred in 1969 when he introduced his groundbreaking inversion technique. He began painting his subjects upside down. This was not a whimsical act but a profound artistic strategy designed to:

• Overcome Representational Constraints: By inverting the image, Baselitz deliberately sought to liberate the painting from its narrative or content-driven character. The familiar subject matter becomes defamiliarized, compelling the viewer to look beyond the "what" and focus on the "how."
• Stress the Artifice of Painting: This technique emphasizes the painting as an object—a carefully constructed surface of colors, forms, and textures—rather than merely a window onto a recognizable scene. It draws attention to the abstract qualities of the composition, challenging the viewer's habitual perception and encouraging a purely visual engagement.
• Challenge Viewer Perception: The inverted image forces the viewer to confront their expectations and biases, disrupting the automatic cognitive processing of an upright figure and instead prompting a deeper consideration of the artwork's formal elements.

A Distinct Artistic Language Forged from Diverse Influences

Baselitz’s unique artistic language is a rich tapestry woven from a myriad of influences, reflecting his eclectic intellectual curiosity. His sources range from:

• Soviet-Era Illustration Art: While seemingly contradictory given his desire to move beyond content, this influence might be seen in certain robust compositional structures or the directness of some figural representations, which Baselitz then subverts through his unique treatment.
• The Mannerist Period: Echoes of Mannerism, an artistic style that emerged in the late Renaissance, can be observed in Baselitz's deliberate distortions, elongated forms, and a certain psychological intensity that transcends classical harmony.
• African Sculptures: The raw, unrefined power, spiritual resonance, and direct carving techniques found in African sculptures profoundly impacted Baselitz, contributing to the visceral and often confrontational physicality of his figures. These non-Western perspectives offered an alternative to traditional European artistic conventions.

Biography and the Concept of Destruction

Born as Hans-Georg Kern in Deutschbaselitz, Upper Lusatia, Germany, his adopted surname "Baselitz" is a direct homage to his birthplace, symbolizing a deep connection to his origins even as he sought to redefine artistic conventions. His formative years were inextricably linked to the profound suffering and widespread demolition wrought by World War II. This indelible experience of a world in ruins became a foundational element in his worldview, and consequently, the concept of destruction and deconstruction plays a significant, recurring role throughout his entire artistic oeuvre.

In a revealing interview, Baselitz articulated this deep connection: "I was born into a destroyed order, a destroyed landscape, a destroyed people, a destroyed society. And I didn't want to reestablish an order: I had seen enough of so-called order. I was forced to question everything, to be 'naive', to start again." This powerful statement underscores how his biographical circumstances were not merely background but became the very crucible in which his artistic principles were forged. His art is a direct response to a world that demanded a radical re-evaluation, a "naive" starting point that rejected the false comfort of re-establishing a broken order. By actively disrupting established visual orders and breaking common conventions of perception, Baselitz transformed his personal experiences of devastation into a guiding philosophy that advocates for constant questioning and reinvention.

To this day, the inversion of subjects remains the most unique and defining feature of Baselitz's work, a persistent artistic statement that continues to challenge and engage viewers worldwide, solidifying his legacy as a master of contemporary art.

Frequently Asked Questions About Georg Baselitz

Why does Georg Baselitz paint his subjects upside down?

Georg Baselitz began painting subjects upside down in 1969 to shift the viewer's focus from the narrative content of the painting to its formal qualities—color, form, and texture. This technique emphasizes the painting as an object rather than a representation, highlighting the "artifice of painting" and challenging conventional perception.

What artistic movement is Georg Baselitz associated with?

Georg Baselitz is often associated with Neo-Expressionism, particularly the "Neue Wilde" (New Savages) movement in Germany. This movement emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a return to expressive, figurative painting, reacting against the prevailing Minimalism and Conceptual Art of the time. However, Baselitz's unique approach often transcends simple categorization.

How did World War II influence Georg Baselitz's art?

Growing up amidst the devastation of World War II deeply impacted Baselitz. The experience of a "destroyed order" led him to question societal structures and conventional artistic norms. This personal trauma fuels his artistic principle of disruption, deconstruction, and a desire to "start again," viewing art as a means to challenge and rebuild perception rather than passively reflect reality.