Renowned as a pivotal German artist born on March 8, 1931, Heinz Mack is celebrated for his fundamental role in the ZERO movement, which he co-founded with Otto Piene in 1957. His innovative body of work, encompassing op-art, light art, and kinetic art, has been exhibited at major art events such as Documenta in 1964 and 1977, and he notably represented Germany at the Venice Biennale in 1970.
Hailing from the picturesque town of Lollar, Germany, Mack’s artistic journey began at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where he honed his craft from 1950 to 1956. In 1957, Mack and Otto Piene started a series of “Abendausstellungen” (evening exhibitions) at their Düsseldorf studio. These gatherings marked the birth of the ZERO group, with Mack, Piene, and Günther Uecker at its core, and eventually led to the formation of the international ZERO movement. This avant-garde collective included greats such as Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, and Jean Tinguely, who together explored new artistic expressions and mediums.
In the early 1960s, Mack, along with Gotthard Graubner, contributed to art education as a teacher at the Lessing Gymnasium in Düsseldorf. The year 1964 was significant for Mack, Piene, and Uecker, as they presented the “ZERO Lichtraum (Hommage á Lucio Fontana)” at Documenta in Kassel, solidifying their influence in the art world. Mack’s exploration of artistic boundaries continued with a stay in New York from 1964 to 1966, culminating in a solo exhibition at the Howard Wise Gallery in 1966.
www.ftn-books.com has several Mack titles available.
