This exhibition showcases the painting and graphic works of Robert Keil, an artist who lived and worked in Vienna's Josefstadt district. The display explores his unique abstract style, influenced by German Expressionism and Mediterranean light, developed against the backdrop of his life experiences, including war and imprisonment.
The exhibition 'Robert Keil. Malerei und Grafik' presents the artistic output of Robert Keil (born 1905), who resided in Vienna's Josefstadt district from 1928. His work, deeply marked by his experiences of Gestapo arrest and Soviet captivity in Siberia, grappled with existential and spiritual questions. Keil's art, which took inspiration from German Expressionism, evolved into a distinct abstract visual language characterized by geometric order and vibrant color, often reflecting the Mediterranean light from his extensive travels.
While Keil depicted landscapes, still lifes, and cityscapes, he deliberately omitted the human figure, stating that the complexity and brokenness of the world made human representation impossible. Beyond his visual art, Keil was also a writer, evidenced by his poignant Russian narratives, poems, and elegies. Becoming an Austrian citizen after World War II, Keil found a profound connection between his Ruhrgebiet roots and his adopted southern influences, a synthesis that defined his unique artistic identity.