Franz West: A Life of Playful Sculpture and Social Engagement Early Life and Artistic Beginnings: Franz West was born on February 16, 1947, in Vienna, Austria. His upbringing involved exposure to art through his mother, a dentist who frequently took him on trips to Italy. While he didn't formally study art until the age of 26 (1977-1983 at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna under Bruno Gironcoli), West began creating drawings around 1970 and quickly moved into painted collages influenced by Pop Art, demonstrating an early engagement with contemporary visual culture. His artistic practice eme…