Edutainment > Haessle - born 1939

This article was written and published with the assistance and approval by the artist Mr. Haessle. All images are for personal viewing purposes only and are protected by copyrights. They may not be copied or distributed without the prior permission of the artist.

Untitled, 1988
copyright Haessle

Born in France, Haessle came to New York in 1967 with his girl friend and a mere US$200 in his pocket. Today Haessle is an internationally well known artist.

First of all, you might ask yourself why Haessle does not have a first name? Oh well, he has one - even a very nice one of French origin. However the name causes some confusion among Americans and so the artist prefers to be called just Haessle. Let's respect it.

How Haessle became an Artist

Untitled, 1989
copyright Haessle

Haessle was born in Alsace in Eastern France. It is a region that was contested between France and Germany for centuries. From his early childhood Haessle remembers the American bomber planes flying over the home of his parents.

Nothing indicated that Haessle should become an artist. Except for a grand-uncle who had painted frescoes in a church, nobody in his family had any connections to art. When Haessle was fourteen years old, he started to work in a coal mine. It was a devastating experience for him. And when he was seventeen years old, he became very sick.

Haessle then realized that he had to change his life. Nevertheless after his reconvalescence he returned to the mine until he was called to military service. He spent two and a half years in the French army. During his service Haessle saw his first art museum. It was in Munich where he saw van Goghs painting Sunflowers against a blue background. Haessle was mesmerized and decided to become a painter.

From Paris to New York

Enchanted, 1991
copyright Haessle

After Haessle's military service was finished, he went to Paris in 1964. There he met an American girl and together they went to New York in 1967. When Haessle arrived in New York, he could not speak English and his starting capital were US$200. Not the best conditions to start a career as an artist.

In the beginning Haessle felt like an outsider. But by and by he made his way. He first joined an artist community at Westbeth and even had a small show there. He met Carl Andre and Hans Haacke. In the seventies, Haessle gained recognition. He had important group and individual art expositions in New York, Washington, Mexico and Taipei. In the eighties and nineties his fame became international. Haessle's paintings are shown in Europe, mainly in his homeland France, but also in Switzerland and Greece.

Haessle's Art Work

Haessle's art is abstract and semi-abstract. His favorite media is acrylic on canvas and oil on canvas. Sizes are rather huge - from 30 x 24 inches (76 x 61 cm) to 78 x 78 inches (200 x 200 cm). Most of Haessle's paintings impress with vivid, strong colors. And in some way, they look very French.

Haessle does not hesitate to explain his work. Read the original text of an interview with Catherine Ulmer from 1996, published in Haessle - 30 ans de peinture in Haessle - Interview.

Literature source used for this article about contemporary artist Haessle

• "Haessle, 30 ans de peinture", Editions Alternatives, 5 rue de Pontoise, 75005 Paris, 1996, ISBN 2-86227-095 4

	Web www.artelino.com

The images on this web site are the property of the artist(s) and or the artelino GmbH and/or a third company/institution.  Reproduction, public display and any commercial use of these images, in whole or in part, require the expressed written consent of the artist(s) and/or the artelino GmbH. .