Norbert Hartmann

Norbert Hartmann (July 24, 1946 – July 14, 2007), born in Freiburg im Breisgau, was a renowned German painter and draughtsman. His artistic career took him mainly to the region of the border triangle, which interweaves the borders of Germany, France and Switzerland. This multi-layered cultural environment not only exerted a strong influence on his work, but also became the source of his inspiration.

Hartmann began his professional career in 1961 with an apprenticeship as a technical draughtsman, followed by his A-levels in 1968. He then deepened his interest in art by studying in Freiburg im Breisgau from 1968 to 1972. From 1972 to 1975, he continued his studies at the University of Heidelberg. This educational path led him to a career as a technical draughtsman and later as a special education teacher, in which he worked for over 20 years.

Parallel to his teaching career, Hartmann lived out his passion for art. As a freelance artist, he devoted himself mainly to modern, abstract contemporary art in Binzen, Baden-Württemberg (Germany). In his creative work, he produced thousands of oil paintings, collages, sculptures and drawings. His art was characterized in particular by abstract object forms, predominantly in shades of blue. He used iron frames and characteristic materials such as resin, polystyrene and pigments.

His love of experimentation, intellectual exploration and perfect craftsmanship allowed him to develop a unique and original artistic expression. Hartmann often worked on several works of art simultaneously in order to exploit the potential of a mutually influencing creative process. He drew his inspiration, among other things, from his confrontations with contemporary artists such as Kelly, Beuys and Chillida.

From his early, semi-representational works, which were influenced by surrealism, his path led to abstraction and expressive forms of representation. His later work manifested worlds of forms, surface communications and bundles of lines, made from canvas, oil, acrylic and pigments. These works reflected the growth and decay of nature in a fascinating way.

The first regional exhibitions were held in the late 1980s, mainly in the Lörrach and Basel area. This was followed by a total of over thirty exhibitions in Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States and Japan. A highlight of his career was undoubtedly the award of the Markgräfler Art Prize in 1996, a well-deserved recognition of his impressive artistic work. Norbert Hartmann has left a lasting mark in his artistic legacy and will always have a special place in the history of art.