Franz West's Biography
Franz West (February 16, 1947 - July 26, 2012) was a renowned Austrian artist, who was born in Vienna in 1947. He is well-known for his sculptural works, installation art and drawings. West was known for his unconventional and often humorous approach to art-making. He often collaborated with other artists, including Günter Brus, Heimo Zobernig, and Dieter Roth.
West studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Vienna, and his career spanned over four decades. During this time he was widely shown in major exhibitions, including at the Drawing Center Show in Dijon, France; Let's Go! at the Tim Van Laere Gallery in Antwerp, Belgium; and Grafik - Malerei - Skulptur at the Galerie Heimo Bachlechner in Graz, Austria.
His works are part of many important collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. West was also the recipient of numerous awards, including the Austrian State Prize for Visual Arts in 2000.