Michael Rittstein

Lugar: Prague

Nascido: 1949

Biografia:

Michael Rittstein was born in Prague, Czech Republic in 1949. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague from 1968 to 1974 in the Painting Studio of Arnošt Paderlík. Rittstein is known for his expressive figure paintings and belongs to prominent members of the 12/15 generation, as well as being one of the most important representatives of expressive figurative painting in the Czech Republic. In his early work, he drew inspiration from baroque frescoes and the lifestyle of panelák living in normalization. Under the influence of surrealism, he moved towards symbolic abstract painting and fantastical, narratively developed metaphor. In addition to painting, Rittstein is also involved in spatial installations, drawing, illustration, and graphic art. His artistic approach is characterized by systematics, premeditated concept, and is the result of many years of passion for telling stories, capturing fleeting moments, bizarre stories, and recording emotions experienced firsthand. These impulses awaken his imagination and inspire his sometimes whimsical sense of humor. Rittstein's work is represented in numerous significant collections, including the National Gallery in Prague, the City of Prague Gallery, the Gallery of the Capital City of Prague, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, the Moravian Gallery in Brno, the Regional Galleries in the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Albertina Museum in Vienna, and various private collections in the Czech Republic, Europe, and the United States. He has held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions. Over the past ten years, more than 620 of his works have been auctioned.