FRANZ
HAGENAUER

Editors: Ivan Ristić and Hans-Peter Wipplinger
Authors: Maria-Luise Jesch, Marco Antonio Ricci, Ivan Ristić, Hans-Peter Wipplinger

The metal sculptor Franz Hagenauer (1906-1986) united free sculptural design with artisanal aspirations unlike any other Austrian artist of his time. A sculptor among designers and designer among sculptors, he was committed to the tradition of internationally popular, high-quality Viennese arts and crafts. In his extensive oeuvre, poetical expression and pragmatic deliberations entered into a tension-filled synthesis. The point of departure for his designs was the human body as well as shapes from the flora and fauna. Hagenauer derived stylistic inspiration from the form repertoire of Neo-Classicism, from the design approaches espoused by members of the Bauhaus movement and from Art Deco. He further incorporated themes from popular culture into his creations. His heads and busts created from the late 1920s from chased metal, which were often reduced to mere ovoids, are among the most radical Modernist forays in Austrian art of the interwar period. The exhibition features some 170 objects from all periods of the artist’s oeuvre.