HANS ZIMMER (German, 1936-1992)
Untitled Abstract Watercolor

HANS ZIMMER (German, 1936-1992) UNTITLED ABSTRACT signed Zimmer, u.r and dated in pen 1964, u.r.; watercolor;

Other Notes
Zimmer gained his inspiration for this work from the colorful costumes and festivities of the Annual Basel Carnival, Switzerland

Zimmer is a highly listed artist. Also, extensive information is available by searching online.

Sales History: Sold at Köbenhavn in 1994 for $42, 200.
Size: 14x18.5"

BIO:

Hans-Peter Zimmer (1936 – 1992) was a German painter. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich. He formed the group SPUR in 1957 with the painters Heimrad Prem, Helmut Sturm and the sculptor Lothar Fischer. After a joint exhibition at the Pavillon im Alten Botanischen Garten in Munich, they met the Danish artist and philosopher Asger Jorn, who linked them up with the Galerie Van de Loo which exhibited them.

In 1959 the group joined the Situationist International. In 1961 they were banned from the Haus der Kunst (House of Art) by the Bavarian Minister of Culture. In 1962 they were indicted for pornography and blasphemy. They were expelled from the Situationist International that year.

The group SPUR broke up in 1966. In the same year, Zimmer and Helmut Sturm founded Gruppe Geflecht, but Zimmer lost interest in the group activities soon and started a solo career.

Born in Berlin in 1939 HP Zimmer was introduced early to art by his uncle, the collector Otto Ralfs. In 1956/57 Zimmer studied at the Kunsthochschule Hamburg under Prof. Kranz and Prof. Johannes Itten before changing to the Kunstakademie München. The same year the painters HP Zimmer, Helmut Sturm and Heimrad Prem as well as the sculptor Lothar Fischer founded the group SPUR. In 1958 the first SPUR manifest was published as well as the SPUR graphic portfolio with 12 etchings by the artists and texts by Asger Jorn, Hans Platschek and Conrad Westphal. Between 1959 and 1962 SPUR became a member of the INTERNATIONALE SITUATIONNISTE (I.S.), a political-cultural movement of architects, film makers, artists and writers. In 1962 the group published the SPUR-book, in which the SPUR magazines volume 1-7 were printed. After projects in co-operation with the artist group 'Wir' from Munich, the groups were joined under the name 'Geflecht', which was closed at the time of the beginning student riots in 1968. In 1963 three co-operative works came into existence, in which Zimmer participated: the SPUR building at the Biennale in Paris . the mural 'Canal Crescendo' at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice and the painting of a cottage near Munich. Travelling through Italy, Zimmer met with Enrico Baj, Jean Dubuffet, Emilio Vedova and Graham Sutherland. In 1967 the artist withdrew from all his groups and did not paint for a year. In 1973 he moved to Aschau at the Chiemgau. In 1982 he received a call to the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Braunschweig. In 1984 HP Zimmer's autobiography 'Selbstgespräch' was published. In 1986 he founded the Institut für Dämonologische Ästhetik in Braunschweig. HP Zimmer died from a brain tumour on 5 September 1992.