The Artistic Practice of Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber is a Swiss artist who was born in Zurich. His creative practice is characterized by a fusion of image and text, where he lectures on his pictures. He realizes his concepts through various mediums, including paintings, aquarelle, drawings, objects, graphic arts, art within architecture, artist lectures, and artists' books. His work often features a complex process of symbolisation, utilizing techniques such as systematic mise en abîme and the co-presence of different temporalities.
His paintings frequently explore illusionist spaces between classical and utopian architecture, often questioning the possibility of representation. Huber’s work can be described as an ironic and imaginary world that both attracts and excludes the viewer. He has also produced works inspired by the natural world, such as the view of Lake Maggiore, the Swiss mountains, and the Italian mountains, which he captures through the filter of his emotions and feelings.
Education and Professional Career
Huber’s formal education included studies at the Kunstgewerbeschule Basel from 1977 to 1978, the Royal College of Art in London in 1979, and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 1980 to 1983. During his time in Düsseldorf, he was a master student of Fritz Schwegler. His professional career includes serving as a professor at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig from 1992 to 1999 and acting as the interim director of the Centraal Museum, Utrecht in 1992.
Throughout his career, Huber has received several honors, including:
