The Life of Arno Mohr
Arno Mohr was a German painter and graphic artist associated with Berlin and the German Democratic Republic. Born in Posen, he completed an apprenticeship as a sign painter with Ladewig & Co between 1924 and 1927. After attending evening classes at the Arts and Crafts College, he moved to Berlin in 1930. He studied at the Unified National Academy for Visual and Applied Arts in Berlin-Charlottenburg, where he learned anatomy drawing from Wilhelm Tank.
Following his service in the army during the war, Mohr returned to Berlin in 1946. His career as an artist began after he created a poster for the May 1946 Labour Day celebrations using a large piece of board. In 1946, he was appointed professor at the Fine and Applied Arts Academy at Berlin-Weissensee, a position he held for 29 years until 1974. He also managed a printing workshop at the Weisseensee Academy and later established his own workshop in Berlin-Lichtenberg.
Artistic Work and Recognition
Mohr's work is noted for reductionist observational drawings of everyday life. While he did not adopt the style of socialist realism, his work reflected joy and humor found in daily scenes. His notable works include:
- Portraits of Bertolt Brecht and Helene Weigel
- The 1989 landscape "Blick zum Bode-Museum"
Between 1950 and 1990, his work was featured in numerous solo and joint exhibitions both within the German Democratic Republic and abroad. In 2000, an exhibition of his work took place at the Academy of Arts in Berlin.
