The art of death
It's a macabre truth: The early death of an artist often increases the value of his or her art. An exhibition in Baden-Baden is exploring this uncomfortable fact through the works of 33 artists who died young.
Vincent van Gogh (†37)
Dying young and unrecognized during his lifetime, no artist embodies the cruel tragedy of posthumous success like Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). The Dutchman sold hardly anything during his lifetime - something that changed dramatically after his death, when his work commanded record prices. Today, van Gogh is considered a pioneer of modern painting. Pictured here: "Roses and Sunflowers," 1886.
Michel Majerus (†35)
What happens to the works of artists who die young? "After the Early Death" in the State Art Gallery of Baden-Baden explores this topic. It brings together works by 33 young artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. "Space Invaders 2" (2002) is by Luxembourg artist and sculptor Michel Majerus (1967-2002), who died in a plane crash.
Keith Haring (†31)
World-renowned American artist Keith Haring (1958-1990) - his work "o. T." (1986) pictured here - died two years after being diagnosed with AIDS. Immediately following the announcement of his illness, the value of his works surged "more than 300 percent," says University of Constance economics professor Heinrich Ursprung.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (†27)
Heinrich Ursprung estimates that the effect of death on the value of the works of African-American artist Basquiat (1960-1988), who died of a drug overdose, to be an increase of "about 400 percent." Today, one searches for traces of addiction in his works (including "Amber Vision," 1988), much as people look for traces of madness in the work of van Gogh or the effect of cancer in Schlingensief.
Christoph Schlingensief (†49)
The director, writer and performance artist (1960-2010) succumbed to cancer. In Baden-Baden, he's represented with the installation "Stairlift to Heaven." Museum director Johan Holten says that a deadly disease often changes public perception of an artist. On news of the provocateur Schlingensief being ill, the opinion of many commentators became more favorable towards his work.
Jackson Pollock (†44)
He is considered the most important practitioner of abstract expressionism and one of the leading artists of the 20th century. American painter Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) pioneered the style of action painting - shown here in his work "Composition No. 16" (1948). Pollock died in a single-car crash. He was driving under the influence of alcohol.
August Macke (†27)
August Macke (1887-1914) was one of the leading exponents of expressionist painting, shown here in "Storyteller" (1912). His work often consists of cheerful, positive motifs. At the outbreak of World War I, the artist volunteered for the army and was drafted on August 8, 1914. On September 26 of the same year he died in battle in Champagne.
Peter Roehr (†23)
The German painter and object artist Peter Roehr (1944-1968) was devoted to the principle of order in art. Subjectivity was something he tried to restrain. From industrially manufactured elements, he constructed picture boards in geometrical arrangements. For his work "O.T. (OB-1)" (1963), he affixed matchboxes upon a piece of wood. Roehr died of cancer.
Dash Snow (†27)
Even as a teenager, he lived on the streets of New York. Dash Snow (1981-2009) was known for his underground and gritty Polaroid photographs mainly portraying drugs, sex and violence. In addition to photographs, he later made collages, installations and sculptures. Seen here is "Reach Out & F**k Someone" (2006/07). Dash Snow died of a heroin overdose.
Eva Hesse (†34)
The shell-like, delicate "Studioworks" - a piece of art, even if its meaning eludes us. Eva Hesse (1936-1979) died of a brain tumor, and her works have become a fixture on the art market. Hesse remains an exception, with the works of deceased female artists often lagging well behind in public recognition compared to their male colleagues.