Helmut Ditsch

Helmut Ditsch (born July 6, 1962 in Villa Ballester, Province Buenos Aires) is an Argentine painter. Ditsch's work focuses on extreme natural phenomena such as mountains, desert, ice, and water.  Due to knowledge gained during his time as an extreme mountain sportsman, he is able to portray a vast amount of passion and firsthand experience in his epic works.  The work of Helmut Ditsch is best understood under the category of Experienced Realism.

He is one of the most important INDEPENDENT artists in the world.

Helmut Ditsch


Life

Helmut Ditsch climbing the Nordkette in Tyrol/Austria 1997

The grandparents of the Argentine-born Helmut Ditsch came from Austria and Germany, as well as northern Italy, and immigrated to Argentina in 1920. The early death of the artist’s mother, and with it the theme of life and death, impacted his work. At the age of eight he was introduced to the two vast Argentine landscapes, the Pampas grasslands and the Andes mountain range, which have influenced his life and work. After graduating from Hölters Schule he started to pursue a career as a painter [1]

In 1983, Helmut began working as a freelance artist.  After two years, due to his initial negative experiences with galleries, his artistic production was put on hold. In exchange for painting, he embarked on numerous expeditions in the Argentine Andes and devoted himself to extreme mountain sports.

1986 saw Helmut Ditsch return to painting, through which flowed his experiences and knowledge of the mountains.  At this time he detached himself from a surrealistic style in favor of realism.

In 1988, Helmut Ditsch moved to Vienna, Austria, to begin his education at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. He concluded his studies in painting in 1993 and graduated with honors.  In the following year he opened his studio near Vienna.  Around this time Helmut Ditsch became acquainted with and befriended the world-renowned mountaineer Reinhold Messner in Meran, with whom he has since collaborated on numerous occasions.

In order to study the glacial ice, Helmut Ditsch undertook a journey in 1995 to Patagonia.  In 1998 he spent many weeks isolated in the Austrian Alps to study for his painting “Das Gebirge” (“The Mountains”).

In 2000, he moved his studio to Ireland, where he has lived and worked since.

In 2006, Helmut Ditsch presented his book "The Triumph of Nature" as part of a solo exhibition at the Feria International del Libro Show in Argentina. More than one million people visit this international book fair in Buenos Aires.

In 2008, he founded the HELMUT DITSCH FAN FABRICA DE ARTE NACIONAL, a transparent laboratory for art, music, philosophy and high technology design. First designs for the LE MANS Super Sports Car HD1.

In 2009, his wife Marion died very young.

In 2010, the sale of the painting "Das Meer II" for US$ 865.000 made Ditsch the most expensive artist in Argentina.[2] The same year he began his exhibition tour "GIRA NACIONAL Y POPULAR" (so far in: Santa Fe, Paraná, Rosario, Vienna, Mar del Plata, Mendoza). The exhibitions have an inclusive character and take place at public spaces with free entry.

Work (Selection)

Helmut Ditsch and the Mayor Ricardo Ivoskus, being named Honorary Citizen of the General San Martín Partido, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. (2010-01-28)

Awards

Solo Exhibitions (Selection)

Helmut Ditsch with the Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the Salón Eva Perón, Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires.

Group Exhibitions (Selection)

Works in permanent Collections (Selection)

Publications

References

  1. ↑ Interview at Clarín (Argentine newspaper) (Spanish)
  2. ↑ Una obra de Helmut Ditsch batió el récord histórico para el arte argentino Diario Clarín, 26-08-2010.

External links