Christian Schwarzwald is an artist and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. His works have recently been shown at the MAK, Museum of Applied Arts/Vienna, Museum of Contemporary Art MOCA/Chengdu, Kunsthaus Nürnberg and Kunsthaus Potsdam.

Christian Schwarzwald is a draftsman. His work embodies a broad concept of graphic art: It includes quick, simple sketches and notes as well as editions and paintings. He develops his works as elements of ensembles, which are presented in the form of multi-part spatial works and installations. The single sheet - as a sign - thus becomes a component of a complex system of signs. Drawing is the simplest and most direct form of recording. As children, we master drawing as a means of expression even before any system of signs based on consensus. For Christian Schwarzwald, drawing is the beginning of the description of the world as such and for this very reason makes it possible to develop the most diverse formulations in the visual arts. Drawing maintains the connection to original “signs”, which, regardless of their specific motivation, presuppose a community that communicates via uncoded recording. By means of this directness, drawing and graphics are able to maintain and utilize a connection with other forms of art, music, architecture, literature, but also philosophy. For Christian Schwarzwald, drawing is a crossroads where the most diverse trends in the visual arts meet - its particularity and strength lies precisely in keeping these connections active.