Neil Curtis
Neil Curtis (* 23. October 1971 in Vienna as Michael Hierner ) is an Austrian media artist , Body Paint Artist , photographer and graphic designer .
life and work
Michael Hierner is open to his pseudonym, he also publishes architectural photography and articles in the Dutch architecture magazine MARK and in the daily newspaper Standard under his real name . His photo blog is entitled All of Vienna . Under his birth name, he campaigns for the former light rail line between Spittelau and Heiligenstadt to be used as the High Line Park Vienna . He would like to build a unique "place with nature, culture, art, relaxation, peace and fun" there. This requires a “glass house, bird house, grandstand, screen, typopark, high line tower, Zackenhaus etc.” As MH he also documented the Alt-Erlaa residential park , where he also lives. On the one hand he is firmly anchored in the scene, on the other hand he is also interested and committed to politics and urban development - see his Vice link on Refugees in Orbit: Everything at the beginning? by Markus Lust , but reported here about the Refugee Protest Camp Vienna . Michael Hierner is at home on Vice Alps , the project stands for “suspicious activities, investigative journalism and exciting documentaries.” He contributed photographs for Lust's report on the Traiskirchen camp , including a specific one about the telephone booths there . He was also a leader in the Rettet das Römische Bad am Praterstern initiative and criticized the ORF screen design “before and after Neville Brody ”. He was also involved - as a photographer and graphic artist - in the poster campaign Love deserves respect , a widespread uprising against homophobia in Austria.
The artist Neil Curtis refers to Keith Haring , Andy Warhol , but also Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys as his sources of inspiration. He insists that body painting has a tradition going back thousands of years and sees himself firmly anchored in it. In his opinion, the new possibilities of digital photographic documentation and the immediate implementation in a worldwide presence through the WorldWideWeb are innovative . He describes his admiration for Keith Haring as follows:
“I just like his pictures. he has a very simple style, but that is exactly his strength. the basis for his work are aborigi paintings, graffiti and simple line patterns, combined with color. it's not much, but his work still looks modern, fresh and expressive. something else that fascinates me about him is how he lived his creativity. he broke with the usual conventions, for example he did sessions in underground tunnels. "
Others see references to Viennese Actionism , to the carefree lifestyle of the 1960s in the USA, to Bruce LaBruce , Anthony Gayton and Sepp of Vienna . For the Viennese scene magazine XTRA! he designed a series of cover pictures, for the self-help association Menschen und Aids (Club Plus) he designed several posters. Since 2009 he has been one of the artists of Model Mayhem , a portfolio website for professional models and photographers. The term XPS stands for Experimental Painting Sessions and precisely describes the work of Neil Curtis. The artist uses the following description: “I painted an unpainted body to a totally blue one. the session took place in winter, because blue is also the color of coldness. "
Neil Curtis works principally only with male models. Well-known models he has worked with include Marquis Evans , René Manuel Nessler , James W. Harvey , Adamo Dias , Patrick Santos and Eldon Pulak . He undresses her himself, but gradually and only after he has already painted her bare body parts. A recurring motto of his work is: Replace Clothes With Paint , both in Langenlois and in New York City .
Performances and exhibitions
- 1999: parade - the spectators , Café Berg , Vienna
- 2000: Tribal Tribute . On the 10th anniversary of Keith Haring's death, Café Berg, Vienna
- 2006: XPS bodypainting exhibition , BSA gallery, Vienna
- 2008: Replace Clothes with Paint , Hotel Stiegenhaus, Langenlois
- 2010: Body as Art , BSA Gallery, Vienna
- 2012: Replace Clothes With Paint , Performance, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art , New York
- 2014: Who is our body? What does she / he say? , Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art
Web links
- Neil Curtis , artist's official website
- Sex and the Site: ART IT'S OK, Body Art by Neil Curtis , accessed June 4, 2016.
- The Pride Review: The Pride Review issue 02: Interview with Neil Curtis , March 1, 2012, accessed June 4, 2016.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michael Hierner: No monument protection for 140 years old Roman bath ' ', website of the daily newspaper Der Standard , Vienna, March 28, 2012 (with photos), accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Michael Hierner: A last look into the Afritsch home in Vienna's Hörndlwald . In: derstandard.at , May 17, 2013, accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Der Standard : Fotoblog Ganz Wien , accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Michael Hierner: Welcome to the High Line Park Vienna! , accessed June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Michael Hierner: architekTOUR: Wohnpark Alterlaa , uploaded on January 24, 2008, accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Beer Desperados: Will you be there when it happens again? , accessed June 4, 2016
- ↑ Markus Lust (text) and Michael Hierner (picture): Refugees in orbit: Everything at the beginning? , Vice Alps , February 4, 2013, accessed June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Vienna today : Das Römische Bad am Praterstern , April 24, 2012, accessed on June 4, 2016
- ↑ Michael Hierner: ORF Screendesign Before & After Neville Brody (1992) , uploaded on August 18, 2008, accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ homophobie.at: Love deserves respect , accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Andreas Brunner : Gay Diversity , QWien , Center for Gay / Lesbian Culture and History, November 17, 2011, accessed on June 4, 2016.
- ↑ Model Mayhem: Neil Curtis Bodypainter , accessed June 4, 2016.
- ↑ - ( Memento of the original from June 19, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Neil Curtis: Tribal Tribute ( Memento of the original from June 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 5, 2016.
- ↑ Neil Curtis XPS bodypainting exhibition , Vienna today , ORF 2, August 2006 (Youtube)
- ↑ Zeit im Bild, ORF2, 2010 (Youtube)
- ↑ Artslant New York
- ↑ Artslant New York
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Curtis, Neil |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hierner, Michael (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Austrian media artist, body paint artist, photographer and graphic artist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 23, 1971 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Vienna |