Viktor Lederer

(1935 – 2017)

Austria – Contemporary Art – Expressionism – Viktor Lederer

Vita:

Viktor Lederer studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. At the age of 25 he was able to set up his own studio and after a short time he was pleased about the high status of his pictures in the art scene. His steady success and the reputation of art connoisseurs enabled him to be able to present his works in solo exhibitions in addition to participating in exhibitions in the 1960s and 1970s. This was followed by membership in the Vienna Künstlerhaus and numerous awards, including the City of Vienna Prize in 1965. His masterful genius was presented in the 80s in various staff who showed lasting success. Since then, Lederer has exhibited his works in countless exhibitions, four of which took place in the Lehner Gallery in Vienna and Linz, such as the anniversary exhibition on the occasion of his 70th birthday in 2005.

Work:

Viktor Lederer’s early work pays homage to Burgenland, which became his second home. With great empathy and expressive colors, haunting portraits of the simple villagers of Schlaining and Rechnitz and their farmhouses are created. Lederer’s oeuvre opposes the theoretical and conceptual and instead builds on a direct sensory perception. In his landscape paintings, he implements monumentality, power, light and elemental force directly with a brush and spatula. An a priori unspectacular quarry, a simple slope or a landscape section that is not necessarily suitable for postcards is sufficient for Lederer to use painterly means to evoke feelings between mystical calm and restless burning. Large formats are also convincing with their comprehensive excitement. The artist’s style provides a worthy counterpoint to the force of nature. One of his secrets to his success is his impetuous and wild way of using brush and spatula. He paints nature brightly and colorfully. Sensuality instead of concept are also the premises of Viktor Lederer’s nudes and still lifes. In the numerous files, he is not concerned with a psychological portrait but with the incarnation of his models on the canvas. In doing so, Lederer often feels his way up to an almost abstract conception; his nudes flow into a sensory landscape or abstract sculpture. It is the painter’s energy and creativity that breathes life into his files on the canvas.