Michael Fuchs
Art is the very mirror of who we are, our aspirations and hopes, our fears and struggles, our loves and hates.
It reflects our inner self, our dignity and weakness, our ina dequacies as well as strengths. But art is also a window to a world envisioned by faith alone.
The world of the saints and angels, the heaven of God. It is from the Creator that we originate and have our being. And so the world of art we create, is also His gift of inspiration to us. The gift of His tender love.
Michael Fuchs
Highlight of the artist´s life
1952: Born in August in Paris, France
1954: Spent his childhood and youth with his mother, Geraldine Krongold, in New York City and Los Angeles.
1970: Moved to Vienna to study painting. Until 1971 lessons with his father Ernst Fuchs. Beginning of an intensive occupation with portrait and nude painting.
1970 bis 1971: Auditor with Prof. Carl Unger at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna
1971: Studies at the master school of painting under Prof. Anton Lehmden at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Frequent visits to the Prof. Rudolf Hausner and Maximilian Melcher classes. Evening nude drawing classes with Prof. Josef Mikl.
1971 bis 1976: Extensive travels in Europe, USA and Israel.
1976: Completion of the studies and painting with a Masters in Fine Arts. Start of exhibition activity: solo exhibition in the former UNIDO building.
1980: Marriage to Cornelia Hagen, beginning of architecture studies at the Technical University in Vienna. Admission to the master school of architecture under Prof. Gustav Peichl. As a painter, he try to find his own expression with the creative means and tasks of architecture. At the same time other activities as a painter, especially in the fields of portrait and sacred art.
1984: Design for the Way of the Cross for the Thaddeus Church in Vienna and the Way of the Cross for the Schoenstatt Movement in Koblenz am Rhein. Continuation of portraiture and intensive study of watercolor painting.
1988 bis 1990: Portrait assignments of leading personalities in Austria.
1991: Wall design of Casino Cercle in Kärntnerstraße. Design of the conference room of the Trade Association of the Food and Beverage Industry.
1992: Start of cooperation with Austrian Postal Service for the design of stamps.
1993: Solo exhibition at the Theater am Zoo in Frankfurt / Main and solo exhibition in the Palais Liechtenstein, Vienna.
1994: Mural for the Casino in Baden near Vienna
1995: Solo exhibition Galerie Haas, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
1998: Presentation of the picture "Hl. Family "to Pope John Paul II on the occasion of his pastoral visit to Austria.
Participation in the following exhibitions (IMAGO projects)
1999: Rom, Pontificia Universitá Gregoriana, 30.4.-11.5.1999
2001: Sevilla, Espartinas Monasterio de Nuestra Sinora de Loreto, 6.-12.4.2001
2002: Split, Palaca Milesi, 17.-23.5.2002
2003: Palermo, Ex Monastero dell`Immaculata Conzezione al Capo
2004: Monte Carlo, Sale de `Exposition du Quai Antoine 1er, 15.-26.9.2004
2005: Regensburg, Diözesanmuseum Obermünster, 21.6.-3.7.2005
Solo exhibition in the adopted hometown Klosterneuburg
2002: Retrospective on the occasion of the artist's 50th birthday in the Stadtmuseum Klosterneuburg.
Extensive activity as a teacher of old masters painting techniques
28.10. bis 24.11.2004: Solo Exhibition in Instituto Cultural de Providencia in Santiago de Chile.
2005: Beginning of activity as a sculptor, modeling in clay and cast bronze "Fortuna" and "Erato".
2006 bis heute: Continuing work on the Muses cycle, as well as a series of sonnets.
9.9.2007: Presentation of the Book of Hours illustrated by the artist to Pope Benedict XVI in Heiligenkreuz, Austria.
6.6.2008: Presentation of the portrait of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin for the State Pushkin Museum in Moscow to the mayor of Moscow, Mr. Yuri Luzhkov at the Moscow Opera Ball period.
Nov. 2011: Solo exhibition in the WKO Schwarzenbergplatz, Vienna.
Dez. 2012: Publication of his poerty "You are the Mirror"
2013: Presentation and consecration of the altarpiece "Hermano Pedro" for the church of the great seminary of the Archdiocese of Guatemala City.
2014: Start of work on the sketchbooks: Cycle of drawings with ballpoint pen "Vanitas Vanitatem"
2017: Publication of the illustrated book "Vanitas Vanitatem". Ballpointpen drawing.
In his studio in Klosterneuburg, the master constantly promotes young talents and prepares them for their artistic career.
Michael Fuchs presents Pope John Paul II with the oil painted "Holy Family", which the artist completed in the year of the family in 1994.
Meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and presentation of the illustrated by the artist Book of Hours in Heiligenkreuz, Austria, on 9 September 2007