Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Friedensreich
Hundertwasser (1928-2000) was born in Vienna as
Friedrich Stowasser. He initially gained acclaim for his paintings, but is
currently more renowned for his unique architectural stylings. His
revolutionary ecological stands with regard to architecture have earned him the
nickname "Architecture-Healer." His works have been used for flags
and stamps, coins and posters, schools and churches.
In his youth, Hundertwasser attended a Montessori
school in Vienna, which
influenced both his affinity for vibrant colors and respect of nature. He
collected pebbles and pressed flowers as a child, demonstrating an interest in
items that are precious and small at an early age, which later manifested itself
in his collections of Venetian glass and Japanese fabrics.
In 1948
Friendensreich Hundertwasser studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts for 4
months. A year later he changed his name to Friedensreich Hundertwasser, which
means "full-of-peace hundred-water". From 1949 to 1952 he undertook
many journeys to North Africa and Paris, where
he started to deal with the paintings of Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee and others.
In 1962 Hundertwasser had his international break
through at the Biennale in Venice. Around
this time he also made ideological statements, with his famous nudist speeches
and his call for peace, ecology and new forms of architecture. Not unlike the
artists of the Session Movement, he saw art as a decoration. Hundertwasser got
even more famous as an architect. From 1986 to 1991 he planned and realised
different buildings, like the Hundertwasser Haus and the front of the waste
combustion Spittelau.
Over the years Hundertwasser designed stamps for Austria, Cape
Verde, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Senegal, the
Council of Europe (France), Cuba and a
private mail company in New Zealand. Among
stamp collectors the designs for the United Nations are some of the most
popular.
In 1983
six stamps were issued for the 35th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. These were followed in 1995 by three stamps for the Social Summit
in Copenhagen, Denmark.
On the occasion of his death the UNPA issued a post
card with a reproduction of both types of stamps.
Stamp catalogue
Austria 2 June
2000
Austria 18 September 2008
Up - Home
last revised: 19
November 2008