Brigitta Malche

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Brigitta Malche in her studio in Zurich (2001)

Brigitta Schumacher-Malche (born Brigitta Maria Cäcilia Mairinger ; born March 12, 1938 in Linz and resident in Vilters-Wangs and Zurich ) is a Swiss - Austrian artist . In addition to painting on canvas , her diverse work includes light and sound installations and art in buildings .

Life and professional history

Brigitta Malche studied from 1956 to 1963 in the master class of SERGIUS Pauser at the Academy of Arts in Vienna . In addition, she attended the International Summer Academy for Fine Arts in Salzburg in 1957 as a student of Oskar Kokoschka . In the course of her studies, she received a total of five awards (Master School Prize for Painting, 1957; Golden Füger Medal for Painting, 1960; Class Prize for Art Education, 1960 and 1963; Silver Füger Medal for Painting, 1962). With her degree in 1963, she obtained a diploma for painting and a qualification for teaching art education for secondary schools. Until 1970 she worked as a teacher at the music-pedagogical high school in Linz and Vienna . Since then she has been able to devote herself completely to her art.

Brigitta Malche lives with her husband Yves Schumacher in Zurich .

Plant divisions

Painting (phases)

Rose bubble
  • Constructivism : The pictures created after 1977 (Japan series), which initially look like sections of architecture, of clearly structured facade parts, testify to how relatively hermetic, constructivist principles, a "difficult rectangularity" can be transformed into a system. The historian Hertha Schober spoke of a "soaked constructivism": "Closed surfaces, open rows of bars, blue sky - closed, locked out, opened up, willingness to communicate [...]."
  • Meditation : Paradigm shift in China : no chinoiseries , no works about China, but works from China. Malche can be partly from the traditional Fensterornamentik with clamped rice paper inspired and Stalking in her paintings the Rektangularität by flowing, subdued light. In a cycle of pictures she animates the hexagrams of the Chinese oracle Yijing with delicate white tones, according to which changes and changes in the phenomena of the polar forces are expressed. This shows the system for your later light installations and meditation pictures.
  • Exploring nature : The series of images from 2001 is about plants and the light that is folded in that makes them grow. She used graphite and silver leaf as material . The reflective qualities of these materials represent the light that holds the matter captive. Malche is increasingly focusing on nature and its structures. In a collage-like manner, she condensed motifs from various areas of zoology and botany . For example, the shells of snails or sea ​​shells are interwoven with the molecular grid of their blueprint or, for example, they unfold the blueprint of a crystal layer by layer . The artist combines patterns from the micro- and macrocosm , abstraction and figuration , gestures and geometric ornamentation .

  • Blue places

  • Cowrie shell

Art in architecture (examples)

Superstructure Am Schöpfwerk , north facade

Installations (example)

Light-sound-installation polarity

In 1996 Brigitta Malche conceived and curated an exhibition entitled "Fragile - Handle with Care" in the painting collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She invited 14 colleagues to examine an old master picture from the collection. In her own contribution to the exhibition, she transformed the baroque opulence in Nicola Malinconico's product still life into immaterial sensuality by transforming the watermelon motif into a cosmically exploding color-light installation.

Style and technology

In the course of her studies Brigitta Malche was introduced to the Dutch old master technique. After creating constructive pictures with acrylic on canvas for her first exhibitions , she later returned to traditional painting techniques with gouache and oil paints . Today she mainly paints with self-made egg tempera and thus achieves multi-layered, translucent pictures.

From 1971 to 1980 the artist exhibited in Geneva , Zurich and Vienna . The fact that she complied with the Zurich tradition of concrete art was already evident in her first exhibition in the “Galerie Palette” in Zurich. Her works in the primary colors red, blue and yellow were influenced by Piet Mondrian's conception of the "pure relationship between pure lines and colors". Nevertheless, the artist never saw herself as a concrete painter, especially since she emotionalized her vertical-horizontal picture constructions with curves and shadows. The art critic and museum director Erika Billeter said: “If you want to include Brigitta Malche in modern art, you have to go back to Léger and Mondrian. This is where their roots lie. The constructive basis is filled with abbreviations of architectural elements from different cultures. One recognizes column fragments , volutes , architraves . The compositions, however, do not depict architectural fragments, but take them up in a reflective manner. "

Richard Paul Lohse , one of the main exponents of concrete and constructive art , said in the preface to Malche's catalog for the exhibition in the Schlégl Gallery in Zurich in 1978: “A consistent approach characterizes the current period of rectangular bar grids. Formulations in the tradition of the architectural and machine vocabulary of Cubism still marked the pictures of the recent past. [...] All the more noteworthy is your current plan to abandon the tried and tested path of diversity of forms and go the difficult path of rectangularity, on which the imagination offers a lot and the realization reduces everything. "

A two-year stay in Beijing (1980–1982), where she worked as a lecturer at the Beijing Art Academy and maintained contacts with the Chinese artist group Xingxing, was reflected in her art. The constructivism she cultivated gave way to meditative painting, which is characterized, among other things, by a sensitive chiaroscuro . Since there are physical limits to light in painting, Malche expanded her work with light and sound installations. Among other things, her installation “Four Elements” at the Kunsthaus Zurich , which was presented in the late summer of 1991 at the Vienna Secession and achieved a record attendance of over 17,000, caused a stir . The installation was also shown to the public in the Xantos Yanos Museum in the Hungarian city of Györ .

For several years the artist has been researching the connections between the external appearance of natural objects and their inner hidden powers. In her pictures she abstracts crystals , sea ​​snails , turtle shells or butterfly pupae and connects them with their respective inner life. By exploring the interlinking of surface and depth in a painterly way, she combines the aesthetics of the visible with the biological realities of the invisible, thus creating a synthesis of concrete object references and geometric construction plans of nature.

Exhibitions (selection)

Museum exhibitions

Galleries / solo exhibitions

  • 1971: Galerie Palette, Zurich: Brigitta Malche
  • 1972: Galerie Nebehay , Vienna: Brigitta Malche: Pictures from Greece I
  • 1972: Galerie Palette, Zurich: Brigitta Malche: Pictures from Greece II
  • 1974: Galerie 68, Zofingen : Brigitta Malche
  • 1974: Galerie 57, Silvia Steiner, Biel : Brigitta Malche
  • 1975: Galerie Palette, Zurich: Brigitta Malche: New pictures
  • 1975: Modern Art Gallery Vienna, Grita Insam : Brigitta Malche
  • 1976: Modern Art Gallery Vienna, Grita Insam: Brigitta Malche
  • 1978: Galerie Istvan Schlégl, Zurich: Japan series I
  • 1979: Upper Austrian Art Association : Japan series II
  • 1980: Inter Art Galerie Basel: Japan series III
  • 1980: Galerie Istvan Schlégl, Zurich, at Art Basel
  • 1980: Galerie Istvan Schlégl, Zurich: Book series
  • 1983: Galerie Istvan Schlégl, Zurich: I-Ging series (pictures and drawings from China)
  • 1985: Galerie Palette, Zurich: stations
  • 1986: Galerie Zimmermannhaus, Brugg : New pictures
  • 1986: Gallery INTAKT, Vienna: Art in public space
  • 1986: Neue Galerie Wien, Vienna: Matrix series and ideograms
  • 1987: Galerie Susann Mäusli, Zurich: Blue Places I
  • 1988: Upper Austrian Art Association Linz: Blue Places II
  • 1989: Gallery for Contemporary Art, Bonstetten : Blue Places II
  • 1991: Secession Vienna: Four Elements (light-sound installation)
  • 1994: Gallery in the Stifterhaus Linz: Polarity I (Polarity I)
  • 1994: Upper Austrian Art Association: Parallel Worlds
  • 1995: Zimmermannhaus Gallery, Brugg: Polarity II
  • 1997: Galerie Othmar Spiess, Zurich: Light Files I. Black Light
  • 1999: Galerie Atrium ed Arte , Vienna: Light Files I. Black Light
  • 2001: Upper Austrian Art Association, Linz: Lightmarks
  • 2001: Galerie Annamarie M. Andersen, Zurich: Lightmarks
  • 2003: Galerie Annamarie M. Andersen, Zurich: The fifth day II
  • 2008: Galerie Annamarie M. Andersen, Zurich: Concept on nature I
  • 2008: Galerie Atrium ed Arte, Vienna: Concepts on nature II
  • 2008: Galerie artmark, Vienna: Geometric figures
  • 2010: Galerie Sihlquai 55, Zurich: Fragments 1980–2010
  • 2014: Galerie Annamarie M. Andersen, Zurich: Secret order - hidden structures
  • 2018: Asmalimescit Sanat Galerisi, Istanbul : Metamorfoz
  • 2019: Galerie Gagliardi e Domke, Turin : Entrare nelle capsule del tempo

TV reports

literature

in alphabetical, then chronological order
  • Aigner, Silvie: Female Artists - Positions 1945 to Today , Krems 2003
  • Anonymous: Archival materials on Malche, Brigitta, Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library & Archives, Detroit oJ ( OCLC 925412752 )
  • Assmann, Peter : Closer to Utopia , Upper Austrian Art Association Linz, Linz 1996
  • Assmann, Peter: How fragile is art (history), how 'carefully' do artists deal with it? In: Exhibition catalog Fragile - Handle with Care , Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Vienna 1996
  • Bogner, Dieter / Müller, Peter: Old buildings, new art , Bundesverlag Vienna, Vienna 1986, ISBN 978-3-215-06461-6
  • Frauenfelder, Kathrin: I'm interested in life , exhibition catalog Brigitta Malche, Zurich 2003
  • Gasser, Ylva / Grossmann, Silvia Maria, et al .: TransAlpin: Vienna-Zurich, CH: Travel with all senses , Vienna 2013, ISBN 978-3-85256-638-2
  • Hutter, Heribert : Brigitta Malche and the squaring of the circle , Ch.Nebehay, Vienna 1973
  • Hutter, Heribert: Vienna – Hanau – Zurich, three ways out of a master school , exhibition catalog, Hanau 1990
  • Knaipp, Ingeborg: Light , IntAkt Association, Vienna 1995, OCLC no. 886371695
  • Kültür Senate: Brigitta Malche'nin eserleri Artist2018'de , Istanbul 2018 (in Turkish)
  • Lange, Regina: Transcending the constructive ratio , exhibition catalog, Oberösterreichischer Kunstverein, Linz 1994
  • Malche, Brigitta / Hutter, Heribert / Nebehay (Firm), Christian M .: Brigitta Malche , exhibition catalog, Galerie Christian M. Nebehay, Vienna 1973
  • Malche, Brigitta: Pictures, 1977–1978 , exhibition catalog Galerie Schlégl, Edition Schlégl, Zurich 1978
  • Malche, Brigitta: Brigitta Malche , Galerie Zimmermannhaus [Brugg], Delphin Druck, Vienna 1986
  • Malche, Brigitta: Thoughts on Art in Buildings , Artists' Association Eva & Co, No. 14–17, Graz 1986
  • Malche, Brigitta: polarity, color-sound installation - parallel worlds, images and drawings 24 Aug-24. September 1994 , gallery in the Stifterhaus, Linz; Upper Austrian Art Association, Linz 1994
  • Malche, Brigitta / Matheson, John / Trnek, Renate / Fleischer, Martina, et al .: Fragile - Handle with Care, an Austrian-Swiss joint exhibition: Jan Anüll, Balthasar Burkhard , Cristina Fessler , picture gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, April 19 to June 30, 1996, exhibition catalog Academy of Fine Arts (Vienna), Nomad edition, Männedorf 1996
  • Malche, Brigitta: Editorial and Malinconico Project , in: Exhibition catalog Handle with Care , Academy of Fine Arts (Vienna), Edition Nomad, Männedorf 1996
  • Malche, Brigitta: Self-portrait , in: Schweizer Kunst , 2/99, Zurich 1999
  • Malche, Brigitta: Pictures 1990 to 2003 [Publication on the occasion of the exhibition The fifth day in the Atrium ed Arte gallery, Vienna (September 18, 2003– October 25, 2003) as well as in the Annamarie M. Andersen gallery, Zurich (November 4, 03–23.12. 03). At the same time, the light installation "Delimitation II" became a part of art. Halle Krems (A) presented (October 4, 2003– February 15, 2004)], Zurich 2003
  • Matheson, John / Schumacher, Yves: 4 elements , exhibition catalog Secession Vienna, Vienna 1991
  • Matheson, John / Lange, Regina: Zeitspiegelungen , in: Exhibition catalog Handle with Care, Vienna 1996
  • Reiter, Cornelia / Pappernigg, Michaela: Art of the 20th Century , Vienna 1997, p. 2
  • Schumacher, Yves: From psychoactive catalysts , exhibition catalog Brigitta Malche, Zurich 2003
  • Schutting, Julian : Schwarzes Licht - on the pictures by Brigitta Malche , Edition Galerie Atrium ed Arte, Vienna 1999
  • Sotriffer, Kristian : The freedom of art , Edition Tusch, Vienna 1984, ISBN 978-3-215-06461-6
  • Wehrli, PK : Nothing happens without light! In: Zürcher Magazin , No. 2, Zurich 2001
  • Zwez, Anneliese: In search of the essence of abundance and emptiness , Zurich 1994
  • Zwez, Anneliese: Light fields in the reflection of matter , in: Wiener Zeitung , Vienna 23/24. April 1999
  • Zwez, Anneliese: Lightmarks , opening text Gallery AM Andersen, Zurich 2001

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Excerpt from the commercial register for Zurich, June 8, 2012
  2. ↑ Brigitta Malche took over the family name Malche (pronounced Malsch) from her first husband. This is also her stage name .
  3. ↑ Kristian Sotriffer : Art for hearing and seeing , in: Die Presse , Vienna November 30, 1978
  4. ↑ Hertha Schober: Beseelter Konstruktivismus , in: Neues Volksblatt , No. 87, Linz March 13, 1979, p. 8
  5. ↑ Cf. Kathrin Frauenfelder: In die Breite: Art for the public eye: on the history of the art collection of the Canton of Zurich - from the nation state to globalization , dissertation, University of Zurich , Zurich 2018, p. 130 f.
  6. ^ Viktor Hufnagl / Maria E. Clay-Jorde: Buildings - Projects, Experiences - Findings, Thoughts - Theory: 1950–2000 , Verlag Österreich, ISBN 3-7046-1064-X
  7. ↑ Kristian Sotriffer: Breathing Constructivism , in: Die Presse , Vienna September 12, 1980
  8. ↑ Yves Schumacher: White Mysticism in the Prayer Room , in: Art and Stone , No. 1/2014, Belp 2014, pp. 16-18
  9. ↑ Doris Pleiner: The old masters also inspire today , in: Die Presse , Kultur, Vienna, April 22, 1996
  10. ^ Benjamin Hensel, Jana Hofmeister: Art contemporain suisse , Zurich 1978
  11. ↑ See French-language Wikipedia Erika Billeter .
  12. ↑ Erika Billeter: Specifically unienerisch. Exhibitions in the Maeght and Palette galleries , Züri Leu , Zurich, January 13, 1972
  13. ^ Richard Paul Lohse, foreword , in: Catalog Brigitta Malche, Galerie & Edition Schlégl, Zurich, February 3, 1978, p. 1
  14. ↑ Anonymous: Brigitta Malche, Color, Space, Sound. Installation , Vienna Secession, Vienna 1991
  15. ↑ The Turin gallery Gagliardi e Domke acts as the official representative of Brigitta Malche.
personal data
SURNAME Malche, Brigitta
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Malche-Schumacher-Malche, Brigitta; Mairinger, Brigitta Maria Cäcilia (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss-Austrian artist
DATE OF BIRTH March 12, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH Linz