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Biography

[lives & works - Daphne, AL ::: b. 1969 – Linz, Austria]

 

BARBARA KUEBEL is a Daphne, AL-based artist who uses oil and pencil for her works on paper and on canvas. She was born and raised in Austria and earned two art degrees from the Academy of Fine Art in Vienna. Kuebel's works are inspired by groups and group dynamics. Coming from character drawing, the assemblage of independent characters in patterns gives her a special sort of freedom. She herself refrains from creating a singular story in her artwork though she encourages her viewers to create them. She particularly loves humor-driven ideas, specifically when it comes to thinking about group dynamics in relation to the individual, namely, herself. 

 

The artist says of her artwork...

 

I'm driven by spontaneous energy, nervousness, and an attitude that "cannot wait." My themes are inspired by the dynamics of crowds, space, and group behavior. I'm specifically interested in peoples' experiences within "social" situations such as a queue or an elevator cluster.

 

My figures are not inevitably human but display transformed fluid aspects of being or gender and often show unrelated interactions. These works also display an irrelevance of environment and background - Totale Künstlichkeit - nichts ist echt. I have been working in a reduced pictogram-like style for many years and see this way of expressing myself as the only way for self-control and focus on that which is relevant. For me, the technique of woodcut has a lot more in common with sculpturing rather than 2-dimensional work techniques. One word about color: black is "matter" rather than "color" in order to transport the monumental side of the figures - though I do use silver and red at times.

 

To add something on a more private note: I was born and raised in Linz, Austria. 1994+1995 Academy of Fine Art Vienna, MMag. art. class of Anton Lehmden/ Painting + class of Herwig Zens/ Art Education. Life stages in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Brazil, and the United States. I live and work now in Daphne Alabama - US since 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

[download full CV below]

 

EDUCATION

1994-1995     Academy of Fine Art Vienna

 

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

          The Other Art Fair Chicago TOAF featured by Saatchi art/ exhibiting artist October 2020

          Soren Christensen Gallery / USA Orleans - Gallery Debut 2020

          CreateHer/ Kai Lin Art Atlanta/ USA 2020

          Featured in the Saatchi Catalogues fall 2019+winter 2019

          Graphic award/ Academy of Fine Art Vienna

          Institute for contemporary art/ Academy of Fine art Vienna

          Augenstücke, Nordico Linz, Austria

          Literarisches Jahrbuch der Stadt Linz/ Literary yearbook of the city of Linz Austria

          Nach festen Regeln/ According to fixed rules - Moviemento Linz/ Austria

          Espace d'Art Contemporain Fernet Branca, Saint Louis/ France

          "Schau mich an"/ Wiener Portraits Hermesvilla, Wien/ Catalogue feature

          Gasometer Triesen, Liechtenstein

          Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Switzerland/ Xylon Switzerland

          Kunstmuseum Reuttlingen, Germany/ 3-fach/ Xylon Germany/ Xylon Switzerland

          Jubeldruck Xylon/ Xylon Switzerland. Also featuring John Armleder, Roman Signer, Josef

          Felix Mueller, Claudia und Julia Mueller, Claudia Conte a.o.

          Nextcomic festival, Linz, Austria

          Impuls Fanny Nehwald, U-Hof Linz, Austria

          Künstler begegnen Alfred Kubin, U-Hof Linz

          Xylon Switzerland - Edition 141 "Couples"

          Geschnitten oder Ungeschnitten/ Gallery Art+ Vision Bern, Switzerland

          Brick Lane Gallery, London UK

          "Schwarzgeld" / Fake money - Xylon Switzerland.

          Kulturtage Thalwil Zürich, Switzerland

          Print Biennial Douro, Portugal

          Xylon Austria Castle of Bukovje Slovenia/ group show

DOWNLOAD FULL CV

Artist Statement

Inspired by awkward and uncomfortable social situations, Barbara Kuebel hand-crafts life-sized woodcuts that serve as a whole-body experience to the viewer. Although the monochromatic colours virtually pop from the canvas, her aim is never to draw attention away from the monumentality of the picture. The creatures in Kuebel’s work are forced to connect with each other, forming knots and shapes that appear deformed at first glance. Freeing herself of the conventional techniques of woodcutting, Barbara Kuebel emphasizes her resentment towards traditional artistic representations. The figures are pioneers for the emancipation of traditionally accepted artwork. With the freedom to be whoever you want to be, the bodies on the pictures are nowhere near realistic. The contemporary view to realism is questioned as the figures on the canvas transform from the moment they are born. The bodies are uniquely intertwined, reflecting whichever fantasy the viewer sees fit. Much like the artwork, the audience is blessed with a deep sense of individuality, possessing the ability to undergo indefinite change, and escaping the rigid constructs of society.

"I'm driven by spontaneous energy, nervousness and an attitude that "cannot wait". My themes are inspired by the dynamics of crowds, space and group behaviour. I'm specifically interested in peoples' experiences within "social" situations such as a queue or an elevator cluster.

My figures are not inevitably human but display transformed fluid aspects of being or gender and often show unrelated interactions. These works also display an irrelevance of environment and background - Totale Künstlichkeit - nichts ist echt. I have been working in a reduced pictogram-like style for many years and see this way of expressing myself as the only way for self-control and focus on that what is relevant. For me the technique of woodcut has a lot more in common with sculpturing rather than 2-dimensional work techniques. One word about colour: black is "matter" rather than "colour" in order to transport the monumental side of the figures - I though do use silver and red at times.

To add something on a more private note: I was born and raised in Linz, Austria. 1994+1995 Academy of Fine Art Vienna, MMag. art. class of Anton Lehmden/ Painting + class of Herwig Zens/ Art Education. Life stages in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Brazil and the United States. I live and work now in Daphne Alabama - US since 2018.

 

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

 

1994-1995 Academy of Fine Art Vienna

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

The Other Art Fair Chicago TOAF featured by Saatchi art/ exhibiting artist October 2020
Soren Christensen Gallery / USA Orleans - Gallery Debut 2020 CreateHer/ Kai Lin Art Atlanta/ USA 2020

Featured in the Saatchi Catalogues fall 2019+winter 2019 Graphic award/ Academy of Fine Art Vienna
Institute for contemporary art/ Academy of Fine art Vienna Augenstücke, Nordico Linz, Austria

Literarisches Jahrbuch der Stadt Linz/ Literary yearbook of the city of Linz Austria
Nach festen Regeln/ According to fixed rules - Moviemento Linz/ Austria Espace d'Art Contemporain Fernet Branca, Saint Louis/ France

"Schau mich an"/ Wiener Portraits Hermesvilla, Wien/ Catalogue feature Gasometer Triesen, Liechtenstein
Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Switzerland/ Xylon Switzerland

Kunstmuseum Reuttlingen, Germany/ 3-fach/ Xylon Germany/ Xylon Switzerland
Jubeldruck Xylon/ Xylon Switzerland. Also featuring John Armleder, Roman Signer, Josef Felix Mueller, Claudia und Julia Mueller, Claudia Conte a.o. Nextcomic festival, Linz, Austria

Impuls Fanny Nehwald, U-Hof Linz, Austria
Künstler begegnen Alfred Kubin, U-Hof Linz
Xylon Switzerland - Edition 141 "Couples"
Geschnitten oder Ungeschnitten/ Gallery Art+ Vision Bern, Switzerland Brick Lane Gallery, London UK

"Schwarzgeld" / Fake money - Xylon Switzerland. Kulturtage Thalwil Zürich, Switzerland
Print Biennial Douro, Portugal
Xylon Austria Castle of Bukovje Slovenia/ group show

MEMBERSHIPS

Former member of Xylon Switzerland Member of "Die Kunstschaffenden" Austria Member of Xylon Austria