Art News. Vasari Codex

candle obituary schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 8 link 5 artists

Harald Metzkes, Postwar German Painter of ‘World Theater,’ Dies at 97

Harald Metzkes, the German painter known for his classically indebted and symbolically rich works created after World War II, died at age 97 in Brandenburg. His death was confirmed by his son, sculptor Robert Metzkes. Metzkes gained prominence in East Germany for rejecting socialist realism, instead developing a distinctive style that combined poetic imagery, references to classical modernism, and deeply symbolic visual worlds. The Neue Nationalgalerie is currently showing his painting "Removal of the Six-Armed Goddess" (1956) in an exhibition titled "Extreme Tension. Art between Politics and Society Collection of the Nationalgalerie 1945–2000."

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candle obituary schedule Feb 20, 2026 visibility 17 link 7 artists

henrike naumann obituary

German installation artist Henrike Naumann has passed away at the age of 41 following a battle with cancer. At the time of her death, Naumann was preparing for the pinnacle of her career: representing Germany at the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale. The German pavilion organizers have confirmed that they will work closely with her studio team to realize her finalized artistic vision for the exhibition as planned this May.

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candle obituary schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 10 link 5 artists

Künstler Harald Metzkes ist tot

German painter Harald Metzkes has died at the age of 97 in Wegendorf, Brandenburg, surrounded by his family. His son, sculptor Robert Metzkes, confirmed the news to the German Press Agency. Metzkes, who grew up in East Germany, was a leading figure of the Berlin School of painting and resisted the official doctrine of socialist realism, instead creating a personal "world theatre" of harlequins, circus scenes, and theatrical figures inspired by Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Paul Cézanne. His best-known work includes "Der Abtransport der sechsarmigen Göttin." After training as a stonemason and studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, he worked as a freelance artist in Berlin, supporting himself with book illustrations. His work gained international attention when one of his paintings was sent to the Venice Biennale in 1984, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall he built connections with Western collectors.

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museum exhibitions schedule May 4, 2026 visibility 16 link 1 artist

Henrike Naumanns langer Weg in den deutschen Pavillon

Henrike Naumann, a German artist who recently passed away, is being honored with a posthumous exhibition at the German Pavilion during the Venice Biennale. Her work, which explores recent German history, state art, and the absence of East German art in the pavilion, finds its ultimate context in this historically charged Nazi-era building.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 10, 2026 visibility 20 link 11 artists

Gerd Harry Lybke, from artist’s model to gallery founder in East Germany showing in Mallorca

Gerd Harry ‘Judy’ Lybke, the founder of the influential German gallery Eigen + Art, is making his debut at the inaugural Art Cologne Palma Mallorca. Lybke, who began his career as a nude artist's model in East Germany before opening an underground flat-gallery in 1983, reflects on the evolution of the art market from a socialist system defined by censorship to the modern capitalist landscape. For this fair, he is presenting a diverse roster ranging from New Leipzig School star Neo Rauch to emerging talent Maja Behrmann, with works priced between €2,000 and €20,000.

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