Austrian painter Herbert Brandl has established himself as one of the most important representatives of contemporary painting with his large-format, gesturally expressive works. His paintings oscillate between abstraction and figuration, and observations of nature often form the focus for his works. His irrepressible creative process and a powerful and experimental use of color characterize his fascinating work. This catalogue documents Herbert Brandl’s exhibition Spirit Lead Me at Galerie nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder in Vienna. Hans Ulrich Obrist’s interview and the multifaceted essays by Cathérine Hug and Thomas D. Trummer enable readers to delve even deeper into Brandl’s fascinating work.

HERBERT BRANDL (*1959, Graz) is one of the most important contemporary Austrian artists. From 2004 to 2019 he was professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. In 2007 he represented Austria at the Venice Biennale, and in addition to numerous international exhibitions, Brandl participated in Documenta IX in Kassel in 1992 and in the São Paulo Biennale in 1989.