Norbert Bisky (*1970, Leipzig) is one of the most prominent contemporary painters in Germany today. He was a student of Georg Baselitz, and since 1995—the year he spent studying in Madrid—he has counted Francisco de Goya, Francisco de Zurbarán, and Jusepe de Ribera among his influences. His large, neorealistic works are overbright portraits of young men outdoors in nature—an apparently heroic idyll, which however raises questions upon closer inspection. Despite their self-confident poses, the protagonists seem to dissolve into air and light. The catalog includes Bisky’s works on the topic of family during the period from 2008 to 2018, and is a companion to his first solo exhibition in a Swiss institution at the Museum Langmatt. Bisky’s research in the museum’s archives, which have only recently been accessible, is the starting point for his new paintings and works on paper. His interest is focused on the history of the Brown family, whose head was the founder of the ABB Group and the former owner of the Villa Langmatt.
Ed. Markus Stegmann, text(s) by Nicole Althaus, Barbara Bleisch, Arno Geiger, Silke Scheuermann, Markus Stegmann, Susanne Völker, contributions by Norbert Bisky, graphic design by Barbieri Bucher. German, English. 2018. 160 pp., 56 ills. hardcover . 21.50 x 27.50 cm. ISBN 978-3-7757-4469-0
