Adi HOLZER
1936, Austria/Denmark
Adi Holzer was born in Stockerau near Vienna in 1936 and finished his studies at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna in 1960. He is married to a Dane and has lived in Denmark since 1962. He has strongly marked several churches, public buildings and institutions in his commissions in Denmark, Germany and Austria.
In Denmark - in the past decenniums - many artists have avoided the biblical sources as a starting point for their artistic expressions in the churches. This has led to an engaged debate whether Christ really was being displaced from the church when contemporary artists were to perform commissions for the clerical authorities. Adi Holzer had the courage to oppose this widespread tendency. He has a solid basis in the biblical literature and was able - in his characteristic strong imagery - to create a figurative expression, which can be dramatic or meditative, but never luscious or indifferent.
The colouristic power is a determining factor in Adi Holzer's art and in my opinion he masters the difficult balance between the colouristic strength and the coloured variegation in his richly varied palette. Holzer's world of pictures are highly life confirmatory. A popular theme in his picture world is found in the world of the artiste. Here the clown is an important figure. The clown as a symbol - with one laughing eye and one crying eye. The themes are comprehensive. Whatever the subject is interpreting human being, landscapes, flowers, situations apparently inspired by Middle European culture, he always treats the contemporary themes with critical eyes.
Also music is an important source of inspiration to Adi Holzer. This has manifested in graphical series dedicated to Mahler, Mozart and Bruckner amongst others. In terms of the artistic medium Adi Holzer is very well founded as he expresses himself in paintings, in glass mosaic, in etching, lithography and silkscreen, in bronze and gobelins. A confrontation with Adi Holzer is a confrontation with a richly facetted, world-open artist - a confrontation which can bring matter to mind and light into a, maybe, dismal day.