Willi Dreesen
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Willi Dreesen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Wilhelm Dreesen February 16, 1928 Essen-Werden, Germany |
| Died | January 5, 2013 (aged 84) Brig-Glis, Switzerland |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Education | Folkwang Universitat der Kunste, Essen, Germany |
| Known for | art, abstract expressionism |
| Notable work | Konzert Oper Ballet (1967), Woman, acrylic paint (1999) |
| Movement | paintings, constructions, photography, collage, Abstract Expressionism |
Willi Dreesen (February 16, 1928 – January 5, 2013) was a Swiss painter and sculptor.
Personal life
Dreesen was born on February 16, 1928 in Essen-Werden, Germany.[1] As a child, he developed a keen interest in various forms of painting, including portraits of individuals, landscapes, and the French woman. In 1944, aged 16, Dreesen was drafted into the German airplane defense troops. He escaped from his assignment and fled into the Zillertal in the Austrian Alps. There, he was arrested by German state security, transferred to a war tribunal in Holzkirchen, and sent to the concentration camp in Dachau for 3 months until the end of the war. In 1952, Dreesen crossed through Germany on a bicycle into southern Switzerland. From 1957-1967 Dreesen resided in the Swiss mountain towns of Riederalp and Goppisberg. From there, he travelled throughout Switzerland, to Hamburg, Barcelona, the Canary islands (Tenerife), and Senegal. In 1967, Dreesen moved to Brig, where he took residency in the art studio previously occupied by Alfred Gruenwald.[2][3] In 1971, he married Vreny Kuhnis, with whom he had 2 sons, Stephan and Oliver. Dreesen lived and worked in Brig, Switzerland until his death on January 5, 2013.[4]
Artistic career and exhibitions
Dreesen began his apprenticeship as a painter in Germany in 1946. In 1948, Dreesen was admitted to the Folkwang Universitat der Kunste, Essen, Germany and commenced his studies in fine arts. During this time, Dreesen worked at night, painting houses and apartments in war-torn Germany, to finance his studies and study-related travels. He moved to Switzerland in 1952. Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Dreesen exhibited his work in various galleries throughout the region.
- Galerie "zur Matze",[5] Stockalper Castle, Brig.[6]
- Galerie "Taugwalder", Zermatt, 1970.[7][8]
- Galerie "zur Matze", Brig, 1974.[9]
- Galerie "vor der Klostermauer", St. Gallen, 1976.[10]
- Galerie "zur Schutzenlaube", Visp, Switzerland, 1980 .[citation needed]
- Galerie "zur Schutzenlaube", Visp, Switzerland, 1982 .[citation needed]
- GSMBA exhibition, Steg, 1984 .[citation needed]
- Galerie "zur Schutzenlaube, Visp, Switzerland, 1985.[11]
- Galerie "zur Matze", Brig, Switzerland, 1988 (in celebration of his 60 birthday) .[citation needed]
During this early period, he used mostly acrylic paints, and oil and charcoal based materials to depict mountain scenery, and portraits of various regional characters. In the mid to late 1980s, Dreesen's style shifted towards abstract expressionism. He also started creating wooden sculptures and constructions.[12]
References
- ^ Swiss Institute for Art Research. "Willi Dreesen Lexikon".
- ^ "Alfred Gruenwald".
- ^ "Willi Dreesen's Atelier".
- ^ "Willi Dreesen-Kühnis" (PDF).
- ^ "Kunstverein Oberwallis".
- ^ Galerie zur Matze. "Austellung Willi Dreesen 1969".
- ^ Galerie Taugwalder Zermatt. "Eroffnungsaustellung". Retrieved February 1970.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Galerie Taugwalder, Zermatt. "Austellung Willi Dreesen 1970".
- ^ Galerie zur Matze. "Austellung Willi Dreesen 1974".
- ^ Galerie vor der Klostermauer. "Austellung Willi Dreesen 1976".
- ^ Galerie zur Schutzenlaube. "Willi Dreesen Austellung 1985".
- ^ "Willi Dreesen's Atelier - Konstruktionen".
External links
- http://www.willidreesen.ch
- "Willi Dreesen". SIKART Lexicon on art in Switzerland.