The Weatherspoon Art Museum Presents Fritz Janschka's Works Inspired by James Joyce

Written by William Edgars Tuesday, 13 September 2011 00:13

Greensboro, NC.- The Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is pleased to present "Fritz Janschka: My Choice: Joyce”. Fritz Janschka has been fascinated with the work of James Joyce throughout his artistic career. Likely one of the few people who have read the bulk of Joyce's work, Janschka has drawn inspiration from it to create paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture that are as fantastical, witty, and filled with sly social commentary as Joyce's writings are. Featured in this exhibition are selections from two series of artworks, Finnegans Wake and Chamber Music. "My Choice: Joyce” is on view at the museum through November 20th. Born in 1919 in Vienna, Fritz Janschka entered the Academy of Fine Arts in 1943. He developed an affinity for the dream imagery and meticulous detail of the Surrealists.

Whereas his style and craft are deeply seated in past traditions, his imagination is in a perpetual state of fast-forward. Visually seductive, his works delight the eye, even as they retain the capacity to challenge, puzzle, and even provoke. He, together with six other young artists, have been recognized as the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism: Ernst Fuchs (1930-), Rudolf Hausner (1914-1995), Wolfgang Hutter (1928-), Edgar Jené (1904-1984), Anton Lehmden (1929-) and Arik Brauer (1929-). After achieving critical acclaim in Europe, he was eager to expand his horizons and accepted an opportunity to work in America. He arrived in 1949 without any knowledge of English and with the intent of staying only one year. This short visit grew to more than half a century of successful creative exploration. Motivated by an insatiable curiosity, Fritz Janschka has pursued his own course through the constantly changing landscape of 20th century American culture. He carefully avoided fads as well as repetitive formulas.

During the 1960s he constructed icons for fallout shelters, transforming the familiar imagery of Pop Art into ironic icons for a nuclear age. Mr. Janschka's current work continues to focus on the pictorial possibilities of transformation. In his multiple variations on the recurring theme of metamorphosis, viewers invariably experience both surprise and recognition. Mr. Janschka is an artist who prefers the light of his studio in Greensboro, North Carolina, to the glare of media exposure. Although he has had his share of success, his reputation is based not on celebrity status but on a sustained presence in the international art scene. His work is represented in prestigious public and private collections the world over, and he regularly exhibits in venues ranging from small galleries to major museums. At this point in his career he could afford to rest on his laurels and savor the recognition already accorded him in the many books and catalogues that feature his art. But as anyone who knows Fritz Janschka and is familiar with his innate modesty, realizes that this would be completely out of character.

Founded in 1941 by Gregory Ivy, first head of the Art Department at Woman’s College (now UNCG), the Weatherspoon Art Museum has grown from a university teaching gallery to a fully professional museum that is nationally recognized for its excellent collections and dynamic exhibition program. The Museum serves a broad audience of over 32,000 visitors annually, including UNCG students, faculty and staff; the Triad communities; and visitors from across the state, region, and nation; and an additional 24,000 students who take art history classes in the building. In addition to a schedule of more than fifteen exhibitions each year, the Museum maintains a full roster of educational activities, publications, and outreach efforts as integral components of its overall program. The Weatherspoon was accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1995 and earned reaccreditation status in 2005.


From its inception, the museum has focused on building a permanent collection of modern and contemporary American art that is now considered one of the best in the Southeast. Numbering close to 6,000 works, the collection represents all major art movements from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. Willem de Kooning, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Rauschenberg, John Marin, Alexander Calder, Robert Henri, Cindy Sherman, Sol Le Witt, Louise Nevelson, Eva Hesse, and Andy Warhol are just a few of the major artists represented. Other highlights include the Dillard Collection of Art on Paper; the Etta and Claribel Cone Collection, which includes prints and bronzes by Henri Matisse; and the Lenoir C. Wright Collection of Japanese Prints. The Weatherspoon’s exhibition calendar offers visitors the opportunity to see and learn directly from significant examples of modern and contemporary art. The schedule includes work by outstanding artists of national and international reputation; thematic exhibitions on timely aesthetic, cultural, and social issues; small focused exhibitions of emerging artists; selections from the permanent collection; UNCG MFA thesis shows and faculty biennials; and Falk Visiting Artist exhibitions, a collaborative program with the UNCG Department of Art. The Museum’s educational offerings include docent-led tours; gallery talks, lectures, and panel discussions; film and video series; after-hour social events; hands-on workshops; and Community Days. The Museum has enjoyed strong regional and national reviews, including those in Art Papers, Artforum, Art on Paper, and Art in America. Visit the museum's website at ... http://weatherspoon.uncg.ed

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