Arnold Imhof

Arnold Imhof (born June 10, 1950 in Arth , Canton Schwyz ) is a Swiss painter and graphic artist .

life and work

Arnold Imhof, son of the woodcutter and former mountain farmer's boy Paul Imhof (1917–2000) and Elisa, née Rust (* 1920), had the desire to become a Capuchin monk in childhood and early youth. After the study could not be completed, not least because of the lack of financial resources of the extended family (eleven siblings), Imhof completed an apprenticeship as a typesetter and worked for several years as a designer in advertising and publishing. He has been a freelance artist and graphic designer since 1979. He began with art as a self-taught. In 1973 he traveled to Paris for a study visit . Further study trips followed, including to Spain , Arizona , Utah , Northern Europe and Tuscany .

It was in Paris that Imhof first came into contact with the movement of Hindu doctrine (Hare-Krishna) founded by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada . In addition to his work as a painter, Imhof has since then been committed to better publicizing the Vedic Sanskrit teachings and giving lectures and presentations. In 2002 he founded the association "Oroccon Switzerland", which works to build cultural bridges between East and West. Since 2004, the association has held over 50 festivals in several cities in Switzerland and Europe.

The thematization of philosophical questions in his pictures, however, was often “only indirectly”, for example in the creation of a few cycles of creation and seasons. In his book Londona , published in 1987 , Imhof z. B. an eight-part woodcut series about the Reuss, a literary processing of religious-philosophical texts. In a comparative representation of Christian, Chinese and Indian selection fragments, he approached the basic Eastern themes of karma and reincarnation .

The image expression remained mainly with motifs from nature, but occasionally also with socially critical topics. The portrait painting is one of Imhof's repertoire. He draws and paints using watercolor , pastel , acrylic and oil . Models for his work are the impressionists , as well as Ferdinand Hodler and other Swiss painters. From 1987 to 1992 Arnold Imhof was President of the Association of Zuger Artists .

In addition to classic painting, woodcut graphics are an important technique in Imhof's work, which he has continuously refined over the decades. The large-format series (often four related subjects in limited editions of 135 pieces) are contrasted with woodcut cards (A5 larger) in unlimited editions. What is unusual for the Swiss art scene is the strong focus on multi-color woodcuts with up to twelve colors (often additional colors through further processing of base plates during the printing process, the so-called elimination technique ).

Imhof lives and works in Neuheim ( Canton Zug ). He is a member of the Swiss Mountain Painters Guild .

Works (selection)

• Londona - The Reuss. Eight woodblock prints; as an integrated, latent theme: karma, reincarnation. Onyx, Neuheim 1987.

Exhibitions (selection)

• 2010: Dedicated to my first love , Halle Zwygarten, Arth SZ
• 2005: Bergwelt 2005. Mountain painting experience , Museum Bickel, Walenstadt
• 1998: Exhibition by the Association of Zug Artists , Altstadthalle Zug
• 1997: At the 47th parallel. Exhibition project Zug-Solothurn , Altstadthalle Zug (also cantonal cultural center Palais Besenval , Solothurn)
• 1997: 50 years of the Zug Artists' Association 1941-1991 , Kunsthaus Zug

Web links

• Arnold Imhof's entry with the Swiss Mountain Painters Guild
• Arnold Imhof. In: Sikart