Gottfried Helnwein and The Human Condition

I am going to post about Helnwein on both my Buzznet account as well as here. I think everyone should be aware of his art.

Gottfried Helnwein is an Austrian artist known for his hyper-realist paintings depicting wounded children, meant to symbolize innocence as well as society's exploitation of this virtue. They encapsulate the purity and unassuming wisdom of children marred by war, poverty and corruption.

Beautiful Victim II (1974)

Head of a Child III

The Last Child (2008). Part of a public installation displayed throughout the city of Waterford in Ireland. 

Helnwein's love for cartoon characters sparked inspiration for a collection of paintings featuring malevolent versions of Disney cartoon characters, specifically, Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. These cartoon characters recur in Helnwein's work � for example, one of his early watercolors, "Peinlich (Embarrassing)" shows a little girl in a pink dress holding a comic book. A gash slices her cheek and lips, deforming them. In many interviews Helnwein has stated, "I learned more from Donald Duck than from all the schools I have attended." 

Midnight Mickey

Peinlich (Embarrassing). 1971

Helnwein has also photographed Marilyn Manson (for his album "The Golden Age of Grotesque"), Andy Warhol, and Keith Richards to name a few. In addition, he has done a series of self portraits. 

Golden Age I

Golden Age

Stinking Hearts (1987). Helnwein himself is in the background.

Ultimately, Helnwein's art explores the human condition through pain, fear and the forces of war. It is visceral and unnerving. Because Helnwein grew up in a post-war German speaking country, much of his art references the Holocaust (for example, in his recreation of the famous "Adoration of the Magi," the infant Jesus is surrounded by five SS officers). His work is so controversial that, unfortunately, it has been protested, defamed and even confiscated by the police. 

All photos from Helnwein.com. Please take a look at his website and more of his artwork.


Beeteedubs i promise did not just copy this entire post from Helnwein's Wikipedia page. I canz write formally! =^_^=