Matthias Laurenz Gräff

Matthias Laurenz Gräff
part of the "Garser Wein", 2014
Born	19 July 1984 Horn, Lower Austria
Known for	painting, drawing
Notable work	Garser Wein - Freischütz, Eros, Pathos, Agape (2014)
Movement	Expressionism, Expressive Realism, Modern art, Pop art
Awards	Adolf Peschek public Award (2014)
Website	Official website

Matthias Laurenz Gräff (born Matthias-Laurenz Gräff; 19 July 1984) is an Austrian painter.

Biography

Early life

20th anniversary of Interkultureller Verein Makedonien, Vienna. Shown: The General Consul of Greece Mr Daskalakis, Vereins-President Mr Charilaos Zikos, His Eminence Metropolit Arsenios, Ms Kazantzidu, and Mr Gräff (2013).

Gräff, Princess Anita von Hohenberg (great-granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria), and Georgia Kazantzidu, at the commemoration at Schloss Artstetten of the centenary of the assassinations of the Archduke and his wife, Sophie in Sarajevo (2014).

Gräff's father, Helmuth Gräff^[1] is an academic painter, his mother, Martina Maria (née Gach), works as an art professor at Vienna's Sacre Coeur. Gräff's maternal grandfather was architect Richard Gach (1930–1991).

Gräff has drawn thousands of artworks in his father's studio and kept practising until the age of 17 where he began to study at the private New Design University St. Pölten.^[2] He studied at the summer academy of Geras by Prof. Bernhard Hollemann (2001–04)^[3] and Prof. Arthur Redhead (2003–04). From 2002-08 he and Stylianos Schicho studied at Wolfgang Herzig's masterclass of painting at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.^[4]

Since 2008, Gräff has been self-employed as an academic painter.^[5][6] He lives and works in Gars am Kamp.^[7]

In 2010, at the 64th annual fair of St Pöltens Künstlerbund (Art union), he received the "Adolf Peschek Preis" (Adolf Peschek Public Award) in the Museum of the City of St. Pölten.^[8] Gräff was a member of the Austrian Red Cross since 2008 and an officer since 2011.^[9]

In 2012 Gräff created the painting for the vine etiquette of the Red Cross in Lower Austria.^[10] The following year, 2013, he organized a concert by the Mojo Blues Band in his own hometown, Gars am Kamp.^[11] In the same year, upon the occasion of the celebration of the sister city Gars am Inn in Germany he created the twin city painting.^[12][13]

In 2014, Gräff, as chairman of the worldwide Union "Familienverband Gräff-Graeff e. V." (Family Union Graeff), organized the reunion meeting on the occasion of the "530 years Graeff" at the Schloss Kornberg Castle in Styria.^[14]

In 2014, he received from the mayor's bureau of Gars am Kamp a contract to create three paintings for the vine etiquettes "Garser Wein 2014".^[15][16] A local businessman boycott the publishing of the etiquettes and this led to a media scandal in Austria^[17][18][19] as well as in Germany^[20][21] The reason of the boycott was the illustration of a half naked woman. The public disliked the idea of censuring the Arts.^[22]

Austrian-Greek connection

Welcoming Greek Eurovision singer Maria Elena Kyriakou at the Greek Embassy in Vienna. Shown: Mrs Waldum, Mrs Aliferi (Greek Ambassadress of Vienna), Ms Kazantzidu, Mr Steindl, Ms Kyriakou and Mr Gräff

Gräff's paternal family has some global relationships, including Greece. He and his Greek-born girlfriend, Georgia Kazantzidu, are involved in the Austrian-Greek cultural exchange of Vienna (Greek Orthodox Metroplis of Austria and Exarchate of Hungary and Middle Europe, Embassy of Greece, Interkultureller Verein Makedonien and exhibitions).^[23][24]

In 2015 he organized an exhibition for the Austrian-Greek community (Liebreizendes Griechenland) in the "Embassy districy of Vienna".^[25][26][27] That same year, Gräff and Kazantzidu, together with the Greek Ambassadress of Vienna, Mrs Chryssoula Aliferi, and other members of the Greek-Austrian community, welcomed Greek Eurovision Song Contest singer Maria Elena Kyriakou at the Greek Embassy in Vienna.

Further years

In 2016, Gräff again received from the mayor's bureau of Gars am Kamp a contract to create three paintings for the vine etiquettes "Garser Wein 2016" (10 years Garser Wein).^[28][29]

Gräff's artwork from an art historian point of view

Dr. Elisabeth Voggeneder, Austrian curator and art historian wrote about the artist:

• In Matthias Laurenz Gräff's paintings one finds the expression of Baroque elements. With the early age of 29 he has a huge extensive and varied Oeuvre. In observing his works one thinks of his paragons as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and Claude Monet. In his still life paintings one can realize that he even rises above Cezanne in his target and design vocabulary. Gräff interprets this traditional theme in an new way and carries it in a new era.^[30]

The exhibition leader (Steirerschlössl Zeltweg) and art curator of the Red Bull "project spielberg" Misses Sabrina Redhead stated about the artist:

• In Gräff's artworks you can obviously realize the influence of the Austrian art history especially the classical modern Art. His style is distinctive and significant. He achieves combination of traditional and modern in such a way that has not been seen before. He very often uses "pure" colours; this reminds us of Henri Matisse. He tends to be enormously dynamic, he generates moods and every view of his works allows new points of view and experiences. Although the variety of his perspective underlies Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh, his works are unique and peerless.^[31]

Selected works

Garser Wein, Eros

Garser Wein, Pathos

Garser Wein, Agape

• William, Giuseppe, Desdemona (2011/2016); wine etiquettes Garser Wein 2016 of the community Gars am Kamp
• Achilleion auf Korfu (2014); part of a huge serie about Greece, in the collection of the Embassy of Greece in Vienna
• Garser Wein - Freischütz, Eros, Pathos, Agape (2014); the three censored paintings of the vine etiquettes
• Schloss Kornberg (2013), collection of the Austrian Counts of Bardeau at their castle Kornberg
• Partnerschaftsgemälde (2013); twin city painting Gars am Kamp and Gars am Inn
• Kinderburg Rappottenstein (2012); wine etiquette of the Red Cross of Lower Austria
• Großes Stillleben mit Elephant und Muschel (2008); won the Adolf Peschek public award at the Museum of the City of St. Pölten
• Weltinnenschau-Weltaussenschau (2007/2008); seven paintings for the diplom at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna
• Coat of arms Baron Eberl (2006), collection of the Austrian Barons Eberl
• Allegorie der Malerei (2005); Advent at the City Hall of Vienna; this painting has been showing at the Austrian broadcaster ORF
• Porträt von Isolde und Ernst Hiesmayr (2004), drawings of the Austrian architect^[32][33] and his wife.

Exhibitions (selection)

Charity event in support of the Red Cross. Bernhard Lackner, Brigadier General Rudolf Striedinger - military Commander of Lower Austria, Probst Maximilian Fürnsinn- Grandprior of the austrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, Georgia Kazantzidu and Gräff (2013)

Presentation of the vine etiquette and the painting of the austrian Red Cross. Red Cross secretary of Lower Austria Peter Kaiser, Gräff, the Austrian Federal Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Sobotka (former Vize Landeshauptmann of Lower Austria), Anna Höllerer, member of the National Council of Austria, Red Cross president of Lower Austria Willi Sauer and Leopold Rötzer, Vice president Red Cross of Lower Austria (2012)

2016

• 2016: "Garser Wein 2016", 10 years Garser wine at "Weinfest '16", Gars am Kamp^[34]

2015

• "Der Anreiz des Seins, Allegorie - Stillleben - Landschaft", Kunst im Waldviertel, Kunst & Seminarhotel Geras/AT^[35]
• "Liebreizendes Griechenland", KunstSalon, Vienna/AT^[36][37]
• "Matthias Laurenz Gräff und Helmuth Gräff", Galerie Daliko, Krems an der Donau/AT^[38][39]
• Steirerschlössl Zeltweg, Red Bull Project Spielberg/AT^[40][41][42]

2013

• St. Pöltner Künstlerbund, Museum of the city of St. Pölten/AT
• Galerie Austria, Vienna/AT
• Cityhall Korneuburg/AT

2012

• St. Pöltner Künstlerbund, Museum of the City of St. Pölten/AT
• Erstes österreichisches Museum für Alltagsgeschichte, Neupölla/AT^[43]
• Red Cross Netheraustria, Tulln an der Donau/AT - opened by Dr. Werner Kerschbaum, general secretary of the Austrian Red Cross

2011

• St. Pöltner Künstlerbund, Museum of the City of St. Pölten/AT
• Gaming Charterhouse/AT^[44]
• Caritas Haus St. Barbara, Vienna/AT

2010

• Siemens AG Headquarter, Linz/AT^[45]
• St. Pöltner Künstlerbund, Museum of the City of St. Pölten/AT

2009

• Galerie Austria/AT^[46]

2008

• Advent im Wiener Rathaus and ORF (Austrian broadcaster), Vienna/AT
• Diplom exhibition University of Applied Arts, Vienna/AT

2006

• Kunsthalle Wien-Karlsplatz project space, Vienna/AT^[47]

Collections (selection)

Celebration of the twin city Gars am Kamp and Gars am Inn. Matthias Laurenz Gräff (center) with the mayors of both towns in front of the twin city painting (2013)

At the residence of the Greek Ambassadress in Vienna, Her Excellence Mrs Chryssoula Aliferi (left), shown with Mr Gräff and Ms Kazantzidu (2014)

Artist meeting with Nick Simper (Founding member of Deep Purple), shown with Mr Gräff and Ms Kazantzidu (2015)

2016

• Community of Gars am Kamp/AT

2015

• Nick Simper (Founding member of Deep Purple)
• Private collection at Sun Valley/US

2014

• Embassy of Greece in Vienna/AT/GRE

2013

• Niederösterreichische Versicherungs AG, St. Pölten/AT
• Schloss Kornberg Castle, collection of the Counts of Bardeau/Grafen von Bardeau/AT
• Community of Gars am Inn/GER
• Interkultultureller Verein Makedonien, Vienna/AT^[48]

2012

• Community of Neupölla/AT
• Red Cross of Netheraustria, Tulln an der Donau/AT
• Austrian Red Cross, Vienna/AT

2010

• Rest stop Rosenberger, AT

2008

• Mondi paper AG, AT

2004

• Art Collection University of Applied Arts, Vienna/AT

2003

• Geras Abbey, Geras/AT

Awards

Adolf Peschek Award. The artist with Mag. Thomas Pulle (director of the Museum of the City of St. Pölten (left) and MMag. Ernest Kienzl (chairman of the Art Union of St. Pölten (2010)

Family Reunion "530 years Graeff" at Kornberg castle (2014)

Presenation of the new studio album "Walk the Bridge". Matthias Laurenz Gräff (left) and Georgia Kazantzidu (center) on stage with the Mojo Blues Band and Al Cook (2013)

2010

• "Adolf Peschek public award", 64th annual exhibition of the St. Pöltner Künstlerbund, Museum of the City of St. Pölten/AT

2008

• "Diplom mit gutem Erfolg", University of Applied Arts, Vienna/AT

Events

2014

• Worldwide Family Reunion "530 Jahre Graeff" at castle Kornberg

2013

• Concert of the Mojo Blues Band in Gars am Kamp

Literature (selection)

2014

• Mag. Sabrina Redhead, Ausstellungskatalog Kunst im Murtal" 2014, "Kunst - Tradition und Aufbruch" 2014, Ausstellung im Steirerschlössl Zeltweg, Red Bull Projekt Spielberg; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)

2012

• Univ-Doz Dr. Friedrich Polleross: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum in Neupölla. In: Das Waldviertel, herausgegeben vom Waldviertler Heimatbund, p. 211/213; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)^[49]

2008

• Helmuth Gräff, "Zwischen den Welten", Verlag Bibliothek der Provinz, pp. 134–35 ; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• Universität für Angewandte Kunst, Diplome Sommersemester 2007/08; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• "Parasite | Paradise", Interventionen zeitgenössischer Kunst auf Burg Forchtenstein, pp. 78–79; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)

2007

• Vernissage. das Magazin für aktuelles Ausstellungsgeschehen, nr. 264, May 2007, p. 58 (German)

2006

• Vision magacine of China VISION Magacine, March 2006, "Metempsychosis of Art", p. 108/111; (Chinese)
• Matthias Laurenz Gräff. Allegorie-Stillleben-Landschaft; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)

2004

• STERZ, Zeitschrift für Literatur, Kunst und Kulturpolitik (German)
• Ausstellungskatalog Meisterklasse Herzig, "Die Figur als Aufgabe", Stadtgalerie Vienna; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)

External links

• Profile, basis-wien.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• Profile, artfacts.net; accessed 22 September 2015. (German)
• Matthias Laurenz Gräff profile, kulturvernetzung.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• Press articles about Gräff, noen.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• TV Waldviertel. Exhibition video "Kontraste" in der Garser Galerie, yoovis.tv; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
• ATV Aichfeld. "Tradition & Aufbruch". Exhibition at Steirerschlöss Zeltweg, Projekt Spielberg, youtube.com; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)

References

1. Kurzbiografie auf Waldviertelnews.at, 24 Stunden aus der Region, Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum Neupölla; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
2. www.poella.at Sonderausstellung 2012: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff (PDF); accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
3. Univ-Doz Dr. Friedrich Polleross: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum in Neupölla. In: Das Waldviertel, herausgegeben vom Waldviertler Heimatbund, p. 212; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
4. Universität für Angewandte Kunst, Bildarchiv zu Studienschlussarbeiten; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
5. The land of Lower Austria - Das Land Niederösterreich. Pressedienst. Niederösterreichische Landeskorrespondenz. Ausstellungen, Museen, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
6. Universität Wien. Univ-Doz. Dr. Friedrich Polleroß: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum in Neupölla; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
7. Website community of Gars am Kamp. Matthias Laurenz Gräff; accessed 12 August 2015. (German)
8. St Pöltner Künstlerbund; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
9. Red Cross district Horn, Lower Austria, roteskreuz.at; accessed 7 August 2015.(German)
10. Newspaper article: NÖN, Etikette hilft Kinderburg; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
11. Website community of Gars am Kamp; accessed 7 August 2015.(German)
12. "Wilde Ehe" nach 50 Jahren legalisiert (Bayern, Deutschland) (in German); accessed 7 August 2015.
13. Newspaper article: NÖN, Es lebe unsere Freundschaft!; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
14. Webpräsenz Familienverband Graeff-Gräff, Historie-Gegenwart-Zukunft e. V.; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
15. Newspaper article: NÖN, "Garser" muss weg!; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
16. Newspaper article: NÖN, Allen Menschen recht getan ... Column of Rupert Kornell; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
17. Newspaper article: NÖN, "Streit um nackte Muse auf Weinetikett"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
18. "Weinetiketten zu sexy". Newspaper: Bezirksblätter (in German).
19. Austrian daily Newspaper: "Heute", "Etiketten von Weinflaschen verbannt"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
20. Ad Hoc News, Berlin: "Weinetiketten zu sexy"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
21. News Deutschland>Österreich: "Weinetiketten zu sexy" (German)
22. Press archive about "Garser Wein 2014"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
23. ΔΙΑΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ "ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ". 20 Επέτειος γενεθλίων του συλλόγου (15th photo) (greek)
24. Interkultureller Verein Makedonien. Book presentation of Austrian broadcaster (ORF) journalist and editor Christian Rathner (4th photo), makedonien.or.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
25. Newspaper article: http://www.naousanews.gr/; "Η Ελλάδα μέσα από τα μάτια του GRÄFF"; accessed 7 August 2015. (Greek)
26. Newspaper article: "Griechenland Zeitung", "Liebreizendes Griechenland" eines akademischen Malers; accessed 7 August 2015. (Greek)
27. Dr. Heinz Gstrein at https://hephaestuswien.wordpress.com; "Liebreizendes Griechenland" in Wien, hephaestuswien.wordpress.com, 20 April 2015. (German)
28. Newspaper article: NÖN, Bilder und Musik steigern Wein-Genuss; accessed 5 April 2016. (German)
29. www.gars.at: Ein Geburtstagsfest für den Garser Wein; accessed 5 April 2016. (German)
30. Matthias Laurenz Gräff profile; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
31. Mag. Sabrina Redhead, Ausstellungskatalog Kunst im Murtal" 2014, "Kunst - Tradition und Aufbruch" 2014, Ausstellung im Steirerschlössl Zeltweg, Red Bull Projekt Spielberg.(German)
32. "650 Jahre Universität Wien", geschichte.univie.ac.at (in German); accessed 9 July 2015.
33. Full portrait at "650 Jahre Universität Wien", geschichte.univie.ac.at; accessed 7 July 2015 (in German)
34. Ein Geburtstagsfest für den Garser Wein auf www.gars.at (german)
35. Newspaper article: NÖN; "Augenblicke" im Bild (german)
36. Newspaper article: http://www.naousanews.gr/; "Η Ελλάδα μέσα από τα μάτια του GRÄFF" (greek)
37. article: https://hephaestuswien.wordpress.com/; "ΟΤΑΝ Η ΒΙΕΝΝΗ ΣΥΝΑΝΤΑ ΤΗΝ ΑΘΗΝΑ"; accessed 7 August 2015. (Greek)
38. Galerie Daliko. "Matthias Laurenz Gräff und Helmuth Gräff. Zwischen den Welten – Zwischen den Generationen" (german)
39. Newspaper article: NÖN; "Gräff & Gräff im Vergleich" (2014); accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
40. "Steirerschlössl", Zeltweg, Red Bull Projekt Spielberg; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
41. Newspaper article: Kleine Zeitung; "Wo Tradition auf Aufbruch trifft"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
42. The land of Styria - Das Land Steiermark, Kulturservice; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
43. Newspaper article: NÖN: "Kunst kommt zu den Leuten"; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
44. Univ-Doz Dr. Friedrich Polleross: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum in Neupölla. In: Das Waldviertel, herausgegeben vom Waldviertler Heimatbund, p. 213; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
45. Newspaper article: NÖN, "Gräff-Schüler" treten stark auf, noen.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
46. vernisssage art magacine, vernissage.brod.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
47. Univ-Doz Dr. Friedrich Polleross: Gemälde von Matthias Laurenz Gräff im Museum in Neupölla. In: Das Waldviertel, herausgegeben vom Waldviertler Heimatbund, p. 213; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)
48. Interkultureller Verein Makedonien, 20 years anniversary (15th photo); accessed 7 August 2015.(German)
49. Profile, daswaldviertel.at; accessed 7 August 2015. (German)