Karl-Otto Götz
(Aachen 1914 - 2017 Niederbreitbach)
He is described as the most formal of the Informels, and indeed Karl Otto Götz's art occupies a special position in the broad spectrum of Informel. 1 This is already evident from a look at his early work, i.e. the years before 1952: he produced his first abstract works as early as around 1933, during his student days in his native city of Aachen.
From 1935 onwards - despite the ban on painting and exhibiting by the National Socialists - Götz produced spray paintings using stencils, at the same time experimenting with abstract films, photo paintings and photograms. From 1941 onwards, the artist created so-called "air pump paintings", in which watercolour paint was distributed on the picture support by blasts from the air pump and then further processed. He also began to work with printmaking techniques in the 1940s.
From 1944 Götz worked on the "Fakturenfibel", a didactic ABC of forms in which visible reality was reduced to gestalt abbreviations. 2 The basic characteristics of K. O. Götz's art were already apparent in his third decade: a pronounced interest in technology and science; a love of experimentation and chance combined with a desire for systematisation; and an engagement with Surrealism (today Götz is considered one of the most important Surrealist lyricists in Germany).
1914
Born in Aachen
1932
Attended the Aachen School of Arts and Crafts
1933
First abstract works
1935-1945
Ban on painting and exhibitions
1935
first spray paintings
longer stay in Italy
1936
correspondence with Herbert Read
1936-1938
Military service in the air force
Early 1936
Experiments with abstract films, photo paintings and photograms, on leave abstract compositions and splash paintings
1939-1945
Soldier, friend of Willi Baumeister until 1956
1939-1940
Military service in Nordhausen in the Harz Mountains; in his free time he creates abstract compositions
1940-1941
Dresden; abstract oil and tempera paintings
1941
One semester at the Dresden Art Academy, friend of Will Grohmann.
1941-1945
Soldier in Norway; during his leave in Dresden he creates abstract tempera paintings.
since 1944
Work on the "Fakturenfibel
1945-1950
Königsförde near Hameln; active in painting and exhibitions
1948
Art prize "junger westen" of the city of Recklinghausen
1948-1953
Publisher of the art magazine "META
1949
Membership of the artists' group COBRA
1950-1959
Frankfurt/Main and Paris
1952
"Quadriga" exhibition at the Zimmergalerie Franck in Frankfurt/Main together with Otto Greis, Heinz Kreutz and Bernard Schultze
1954
Foundation of the artists' group "Phases" with Edouard Jaguer/Paris
1958
Participation in the XXIV Biennale, Venice (with Rolf Cavael, Emil Schumacher, K. R. H. Sonderborg a.o.)
1959
Participation in the "documenta II", Kassel
1959-1979
Professorship at the State Academy of Arts Düsseldorf
1965
Marriage to the painter Rissa
1975
Moves from Düsseldorf to Niederbreitbach-Wolfenacker/Westerwald
1989
Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia
1993
Exhibition of works on paper in the Chemnitz Art Collections
1994
Exhibition at the Albertinum in Dresden
1995
Glass windows for Chemnitz Municipal Art Collections; first ceramic works
1996
State Prize for Painting of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate
1997
Founding of the K.O.Götz and Rissa Foundation
Honorary member of the Kunstakademie Münster
2000
first iron reliefs
Ring of Honour of the City of Aachen
2004
Honorary member of the Düsseldorf Art Academy
2009
K.O. Götz and Rissa receive the Order of Merit of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate
2010
Awarded an honorary doctorate by the Münster Art Academy
2017
Deceased on 19 August 2017 in Wolfenacker
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