Description

From the outset, Alois Riedl has charted his own artistic course, unaffected by prevailing trends. His independence renders him resistant to classification, as he resists the pressures of the art market to conform. Instead, he forges ahead with an unwavering commitment to his craft, resulting in an uncompromising body of work.

Riedl’s style resides in the nexus between representational painting and abstraction, where he skillfully navigates the boundaries of both. His chosen motifs, old upholstered furniture and chairs, serve as vessels for his free, painterly interpretations, abstracting the familiar into realms of contemplation.

Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Riedl’s oeuvre has been imbued with a spirit of experimentation and innovation. Beginning as a self-taught artist in the 1970s, he initially honed his skills in drawing before transitioning to painting in the 1980s. His works bear witness to a gradual evolution, with objects dissolving into mere echoes of their former selves, set against monochrome backgrounds that beckon viewers into meditative introspection.

Black dominates his color palette, occasionally interspersed with green, brown, and red nuances in his later works, reflecting his ongoing exploration of form and tone. Whether rendered on paper, linen, wood, or cardboard, Riedl’s pieces are marked by a consistency and rigor that belies his autodidactic beginnings.

From gestural and graphic strokes in his earlier works to a more painterly approach in his recent creations, Riedl’s artistic journey is one of continuous growth and refinement. His legacy is one of daring individualism, an artist unbound by convention, whose timeless creations invite viewers to lose themselves in the beauty of his singular vision.

Extract from Alois Riedl autobiography. Read More