Karl Korab

(*1937)

Austria – Contemporary Art – Surrealism – Karl Korab

Vita:

At the age of 15, Karl Korab was already intensively involved in the art of painting. After he passed the Matura he decided to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. His mentor at the time was none other than Sergius Pauser, who had a strong influence on his work. In the first year of his studies his talent was honored with the master school award and the golden Füger medal. In 1958 he began to be very interested in the “Vienna School of Fantastic Realism”. Anton Lehmden, Rudolf Hausner, Wolfgang Hutter, Arik Brauer and Ernst Fuchs shaped Karl Korab’s style and, under the influence of the main representatives of Fantastic Realism, his first pictures were created using old master technique. There is great interest in the artist’s works on a national and international level, and exhibitions all over the world follow. From 1969 Karl Korab also began to experiment with various materials such as polyester, printmaking, screen printing and lithography, and in addition to his oil paintings and graphics, he also created collages. The gifted painter was of course also happy about numerous awards, including the Culture Prize of the State of Lower Austria, the Golden Decoration of Honor for Services to the State of Lower Austria and the Great Decoration of Honor for Services to the State of Lower Austria. “Art is not a blooming garden in which we can lead a secluded existence. To deal with art means: to face life with open eyes, ”is how Karl Korab himself describes the magic of art.

Work:

At the center of Karl Korab’s work are still lifes, landscapes and mask-like heads. His quiet and timeless painting has been expanded over the decades by large prints. The artist’s early work was shaped for a very long time by Surrealism and, over time, changed into his passion for the landscape that lies beneath the earth. Formative for this type of art was an encounter with the paleontologist Fritz Steininger in his beloved Waldviertel and Weinviertel, who brought him closer to the world of excavations. The region where he had just had this experience is reflected in his works. Karl Korab, who was regarded as Austria’s most successful painter for a long time, has retained his passion for art to this day and his work continues to grow. He himself says of himself “I haven’t lost the joy of painting”.