Siegfried W. Lunau

Siegfried W. Lunau (born December 16, 1944 in Schwelm ; † June 7, 2013 in Sprockhövel ) was a German sculptor and painter of classical modernism . He was one of the sculptors of the “Novelle Ecole”, who after 1945 revived the classical sculpting tradition in Europe from France. Throughout his life he was connected to Western culture, but at the same time maintained a lively dialogue with representatives of other cultures in Asia, Africa and America.

Live and act

Siegfried W. Lunau was born on December 16, 1944 in Schwelm as the first son of the academic painter Siegfried Lunau. His father studied among other things in 1943/1944 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich with Hermann Kaspar . In his father's artist studio, Lunau received specialist drawing lessons as a pupil and learned about the various painting techniques. His brother Raphael Lunau is the third member of the diverse family of artists who in turn devoted himself to abstract painting. Thanks to his talent, Siegfried W.Lunau was released from physical education during school in order to be able to do more artistic work. At the same time, interest in three-dimensional design began. First he dealt with the modeling of animals in clay , beeswax and plaster of paris . In various stonemasonry companies he acquired specialist knowledge in stone processing and monument design. The path to becoming a visual artist led through a degree in room design and interior architecture at the previous academy of today's Kassel Academy of Art . It was there that his preference for the design of portrait busts and relief portraits developed.

Study trips and dialogue

In accordance with his cosmopolitan attitudes, he undertook numerous study trips to Europe as well as North and South America to the centers of art and to regions with cultural and historical evidence of architecture from past millennia. These “monuments of creativity and the technical abilities of man” strengthened his conviction that the connection between buildings and art are a guarantee of preserving the collective memory of the people on earth. Throughout his life he felt obliged to realism in art. Accordingly, he worked in the style of the classical occidental sculptural tradition.

Lunau's artistic life also included a lively exchange with artists of various styles, intellectuals, scientists, poets and thinkers. He maintained personal contact with Arno Breker , Ernst Jünger , Ernst Fuchs , Kurt Arentz , Birgit Sewekow and Roger Peyrefitte . He held Auguste Rodin , Aristide Maillol , Jean Cocteau , Max Liebermann , Henry Moore and Wilhelm Kreis in high regard .

Lunau died of cancer and was buried on June 13, 2013 in the Protestant cemetery in Sprockhövel.

Works

Works by Siegfried W. Lunau are in public and private collections. These include:

• "Commemorative relief" Felipe VI. at Schloss Bodenstein Nörvenich (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Portrait bust of Kurt Arentz (museum collection)
• Portrait relief Kurt Arentz (European Culture Foundation, Bonn-Berlin)
• Coat of arms relief "Nörvenich Castle"

Exhibitions (selection)

In addition to participating in art presentations at trade fairs in Germany, Switzerland, France and the USA, the following exhibitions took place:

• 1980 "New Creation", Galerie Marco Edition, Bonn NRW
• 1982 "Pictures from Europe", West Art Gallery, Clarence NY
• 1988 “The latest Paintings” RyCroft Gallery, San Jose, CA, USA
• 1991 “Artist friends and their work”, Nörvenich Castle, North Rhine-Westphalia
• 1995 "Small Formats by SW Lunau", Museum of European Art, NY USA
• 2007 Art of Russia and Germany: "Shalumov and Lunau", Museum of European Art NRW (Patronage Vladimir Putin )
• 2010 “Boats, Sea and Harbor” France impressions, Rittersaal-Galerie, Nörvenich Castle, North Rhine-Westphalia

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Art Archive European Cultural Foundation
2. ↑ https://www.meaus.com/0190-lunau-ist-tot.htm