Heinz Mack

Renowned for his expansive outdoor sculptures and pivotal role in 20th-century light and kinetic art, Heinz Mack is a prominent figure, notably co-founder of the influential post-war ZERO Group. Mack's artistic exploration extends across diverse mediums, encompassing light reliefs, paintings, drawings, and photographs, alongside sculptures crafted from materials as varied as stone, light rotors, and light stelae.

Biography of Heinz Mack

Born in 1931 in the quaint German village of Lollar, Heinz Mack's formative years were spent at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 1950 to 1956, where he earned a teaching degree. Simultaneously, from 1953 he studied philosophy at the Universität zu Köln, Cologne.

In 1956, Mack completed his state examination in philosophy and art education. During the same year, he established his initial studio in Düsseldorf, which he co-shared with fellow artist Otto Piene, who also studied philosophy in Cologne.

Alongside Otto Piene, Mack organized a series of "Abendausstellungen" (evening exhibitions) in the studio spaces in Gladbacher Straße. These exhibitions ultimately led to the establishment of the ZERO group in 1957, with the addition of Günther Uecker in 1961. The formal establishment occurred during the seventh evening exhibition on April 24, 1958, featuring the motto "Das rote Bild" (The red picture). Macke and Piene conceived their art as a reaction to post-World War II Germany's cultural and intellectual void. The term "Zero" was chosen not to signify irony or nihilism but to evoke ideas of silence and pure potentiality.

In 1959, Mack was awarded the Kunstpreis der Stadt Krefeld and participated in Documenta in Kassel for the first time in the same year. In 1960, he held his inaugural solo exhibition in Berlin's Fasanenstraße and experimented with his "rotors" – motorized relief structures – for the first time.

Alongside Piene and Uecker, he co-organized the Lichtraum (Hommage á Lucio Fontana) at the 1964 Documenta. This installation featured seven light-producing works arranged on a rotating platform, aiming to protest the exclusion of Lucio Fontana from Documenta.

ZERO evolved into an international movement, counting artists like Piero Manzoni and Jean Tinguely among its members. In 1966, the group held its final exhibition, coinciding with Mack's first solo exhibition at the Howard Wise Gallery, in New York. Operating independently of ZERO, he started showcasing his original work within the group, which included his "Dynamischen Strukturen" (dynamic structures) - kinetic light pieces involving aluminum, mirrors, and water, and "Rotoren" (rotors) - artworks combining sculpture, painting, and motors.

In 1970, Heinz Mack served as the representative for the Federal Republic of Germany at the Venice Biennale. Additionally, he assumed a professorship in Osaka and was appointed as a member of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, a position he held until 1992.

In the 1980s, Mack undertook several commissions and created designs for public spaces. Notable works from this period include the Jürgen-Ponto-Platz in Frankfurt (1981), characterized by a concrete plaza intersected with dynamic lines, and the Platz der Deutschen Einheit in Düsseldorf (1989), featuring fountains that project water veils between three large steel slabs. His later public commissions, such as the Großer Vertikaler Rhythmus (Large Vertical Rhythm, 2008) in Langenfeld, Germany, demonstrate his mastery of reflective bronze-gold polished steel and geometric design.

In 1984, Mack suffered a major setback when his listed timber house in Mönchengladbach was lost to a fire, along with many of his artworks. Despite this tragic loss, Mack remained prolific, amassing a significant body of work. His relentless work ethic is evident in the four warehouses he has established, housing around 1200 square meters of artwork. Mack attributes this impressive output to his unwavering diligence.

In 1991, Mack shifted his focus back to painting and began creating "Chromatische Konstellationen" (chromatic constellations), which are brightly colored, abstract, acrylic paintings that he still produces.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Mack's multifaceted artwork has been the focus of nearly 300 solo exhibitions, each offering a glimpse into his dynamic creative vision. His impact extends beyond the gallery walls, with numerous books and two films dedicated to exploring his practice. 

The Art of Heinz Mack

The essence of Heinz Mack's art lies in the transformative power of light, an elemental force without which advanced life would be inconceivable. Through his visionary creations, Mack not only shapes forms and structures from light but also imbues landscapes with a resonance reminiscent of a lost paradise, evoking profound yearnings within the viewer.

While the dissolution of the ZERO group in the mid-1960s marked a transition, it was a pivotal period in Mack's artistic evolution. During this time, his exploration of unconventional materials, light, and kinetics laid the foundation for his groundbreaking kinetic sculptures known as "Steles". Central to these works was the interplay of light, exemplified by pieces like the Stele with 9 Lenses (1964), which employed glass lenses. The early "Stele" series showcased Mack's innovative use of motors to introduce movement, orchestrating dynamic interplays of light and shadow.

In tandem with his sculptural explorations, Heinz Mack's abstract paintings served as a canvas for his fascination with light and darkness. In pieces like Vibration (1957–58), Mack's mastery of Minimalism shines through, as monochromatic resin lines dance across cloth, weaving a narrative of contrasts between black and white.

As his artistic journey progressed, Mack's palette expanded to embrace the vibrant hues of pure, bright colors, marking a shift toward what he termed "Chromatic Constellations". This evolution is epitomized in works like "Empire Couleur" (Chromatic Constellation) (2014), where acrylic-on-canvas compositions pulsate with a spectrum of colors. Mack orchestrates a symphony of intervals, patterns, and sequences in these works that seemingly float upon ever-changing surfaces.