Max Ackermann

Max Ackermann (5 October 1887 – 14 November 1975) was a German painter and graphic artist of abstract works and representational art.

Life and work Born in Berlin on 5 October 1887, Ackermann started carving wooden figures and modelling ornaments in his father's studio at an early age. From 1905 to 1907 he studied under Henry van de Velde at his studio in Weimar and at Gotthardt Kuehl's studio in Dresden (1908–09). From 1909 to 1910, he furthered his studies in Franz von Stuck's class at the Munich Art Academy. In 1912, aged 25, he attended the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, where he worked as an apprentice of Adolf Hölzel, who "introduced Ackermann to non-representational painting and turned out to have a formative influence on his future works", and he began to paint abstractly.

Ackermann joined the Landsturm in the First World War, where he was wounded and discharged following a lengthy period in hospital, after which from 1918 to 1919 he was a member of Der Blaue Reiter, ('the Blue Rider'). In 1921 the artist met pioneer of abstract dance Rudolf von Laban, "with whom he entered into a vivid discussion about dance notation and counterpoint, inspiring Ackermann to rhythmic blind paintings".

Selected works

1927: Deutschland, 95 × 62,3 cm 1930: Gegenstandslose Komposition, 155 × 111 cm 1931: Mädchen mit Hund 1932: Konkretes, 100 × 109 c. 1945: Herabkunft der Musik, 46 x 32 cm 1954: Überbrückte Kontinente, 120 × 50 cm c. 1955: An die Freude 1957: Ohne Titel (Bajamar), 50 × 65 cm 1962: Komposition, 185 × 130 cm 1951: Der Feuerball, 205 × 80 cm

Exhibitions 2018: Max Ackermann: Musik im Bild/ Music inside the painting, Galerie & Edition Bode, Nuremberg, Germany and Daegu, South Korea.

Publications Dirk Blübaum (edit.): Max Ackermann (1887–1975) - Die Suche nach dem Ganzen, Exhib. Cat., Zeppelin Museum, Friedrichshafen, 2004. Lutz Tittel: Max Ackermann 1887 - 1975. Zum 100. Geburtstag. Stuttgart, 1987. Klaus D. Bode (edit.): Max Ackermann. Music inside the picture. Bode Galerie & Edition, Daegu 2018.