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günther schützenhöfer, radical clarity

This summer, Galerie Gugging proudly presents "günther schützenhöfer, radical clarity," a landmark retrospective of Günther Schützenhöfer, one of the most compelling voices in art brut today. Opening on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, this exhibition celebrates the Austrian artist’s distinctive vision and powerful line work just in time for his 60th birthday. Running until September 26, 2025, the show offers an unmissable opportunity to witness the evolution of a master.

A Life Drawn with Precision and Passion

Born in 1965 in Mödling, Austria, Günther Schützenhöfer has lived and worked in the Haus der Künstler in Gugging since 1999. His life is deeply intertwined with rhythm, order, and creativity. A lover of music, he maintains a highly structured daily routine. Every afternoon at 2 pm, he arrives at Galerie Gugging, settling into the office of gallery director Nina Katschnig to draw with intense focus and minimal assistance—only requiring help sharpening his pencils and colored pencils.

The structure of his life echoes in his artwork. His early works began with light, sparse strokes, evolving into increasingly dense compositions that can even perforate the paper. His style is both methodical and emotional—a visual language built from repetition, precision, and persistence.

The Signature of Clarity

Schützenhöfer is renowned for his minimalist yet magnetic style. Often focusing on familiar everyday objects—bicycles, radios, shoes, combs, vases—his works are not reproductions but meditations. As highlighted by Ricco/Maresca Gallery in New York, “They’re meditations more than renderings... the repetition is not redundant, it’s devotional.” With each iteration, Schützenhöfer comes closer to the soul of the object, expressing its essence with a clarity that is both radical and poetic.

He is also known for his signature—a hand-drawn name, not written but constructed—akin to the gestures of Johann Hause, another notable Gugging Artist. His use of pencil and colored pencil, layered with deliberate pressure and variety in hardness, creates mesmerising textures and abstract forms that defy their everyday origins.

A Journey Through Time: From Early Lightness to Intense Density

"Radical Clarity" invites visitors to follow Schützenhöfer’s journey from his early, softer works to his latest, densely textured pieces. Among the highlights are:

Helicopter – a rare gem from his early period
Eiffel Tower (2016) – showing his control of large-scale paper formats
Locomotive– a bold, one-meter drawing full of weight and rhythm
Radio– inspired by a hand-painted radio receiver by fellow Gugging Artist Johann Garber

These works exemplify radical simplicity, revealing how form and feeling can coexist with elegant austerity.

A Global Legacy of Art Brut and Outsider Art

Schützenhöfer’s significance extends far beyond Austria. He has become a defining figure in the global conversation around art brut, outsider art, and contemporary visual expression. His works have been exhibited in numerous respected institutions, including the Museum Gugging, and are part of public and private collections across Europe and the United States. His international recognition is underscored by representation through the esteemed Ricco/Maresca Gallery in New York.

His artistic contribution reinforces the core values ofart brut, a term coined by Jean Dubuffet to describe raw, unfiltered artistic expression beyond conventional norms. Schützenhöfer’s art is a shining example of this vision—personal, intuitive, and deeply resonant.

You can explore more of his biography and background at Gugging Friends and the Museum Gugging.

Discover the Collection

Coinciding with the exhibition, Galerie Gugging has released a curated selection of works available for online purchase. Explore theoriginal artworks from the Radical Clarity series in our online shop.

These pieces are ideal for collectors seeking one-of-a-kind drawings by a recognised master of contemporary art brut.

Visit Us

Join us for the opening event on May 21, 2025 at 7 pm in Maria Gugging in the presence of the artist himself. Be part of a celebration of artistic dedication, structure, and clarity—a tribute to a singular voice in the global story of visual art.