Florian Froehlich (born December 17, 1959, in Pfaeffikon in Switzerland), is a contemporary artist who creates paintings, sculptures, stained-glass, and installations.

The artist

Florian Froehlich was, when starting out in art, strongly influenced''phArt'' October/November 2007, article ''Florian Froehlich -Un ordre subtil'' by the

School of Paris The School of Paris (, ) refers to the French and émigré artists who worked in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. The School of Paris was not a single art movement or institution, but refers to the importance of Paris as a centre o ...

, in particular by artists such as

Maurice Estève Maurice Estève, (2 May 1904, Culan (Cher) – 29 June 2001), was a French painter. Biography Maurice Estève was born in the French town of Culan (Département Cher) on 2 May 1904. In 1913 he moved to Paris with his parents, where he soon b ...

, Charles Lapicque and

Nicolas de Staël Nicolas de Staël (; January 5, 1914 – March 16, 1955) was a French painter of Russian origin known for his use of a thick impasto and his highly abstract landscape painting. He also worked with collage, illustration and textiles. Early li ...

. He had had contacts with the world of art on a regular basis from childhood on, as he is related to the famous Zurich art dealer Peter Nathan. He trained in medicine at the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne until 1996 and thereafter developed a progressive and lasting activity as an artist in tandem with his professional life. He is living since 1996 in

Porrentruy Porrentruy (; ; ) is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura. Porrentruy is home to National League team, HC Ajoie. History The first trace of human presence in Porrentruy is a Mesolit ...

in the Swiss Jura. His close friendship and collaboration''phArt'' 2002, articl
« La connivence créatrice de Jacques Minala et Florian Froehlich »
– exposition in Delément in 2002 with the Swiss artist Jacques Minala lead him to become familiar with the technique of stained glass. Since 2003, he is member of the Swiss Stained Glass Artists Society Verarte.ch which led to several group exhibitions in the Vitromusée Suisse de Romont, in particular in 2009. From 2003 to 2009, Froehlich worked intensely on the "Saignelégier Steles" for the catholic church in

Saignelégier Saignelégier () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the canton of Jura in Switzerland. It is the seat of the Franches-Montagnes (district), district of Franches-Montagnes. On 1 January 2009, the formerly independent municipaliti ...

, Jura Switzerland, project which received national funding from the Swiss Confederation,''Illustré,'' February 25th 2009 articl
Vitraux à l'air libre
wrote by Blaise Calame and which was executed in collaboration with the glass master-craftsman Roland Béguin), and the metalwork artist J.-P. Scheuner using experimental techniques. The novel concept of the stele allows keeping all the church's luminosity by occupying only a very limited space. In contrast to normal stained glass which is not lit, Froehlich is using in Saignelégier artificial light: indeed, three steles, called the

Golgotha Calvary ( or ) or Golgotha () was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, Jesus was crucified. Since at least the early medieval period, it has been a destination for pilgrimage. ...

group, are strongly backlit. Every of the 21 four-meter high steles is associated with a text from the bible commented by Father Bernard Miserez. The dalle glass was produced specifically for this project, in Waldsassen (Germany). The

Steles are a novel contribution to contemporary sacred glasswork. Occasionally, Froehlich creates in relation to world events, such as for the Jura leg of the

Tour de France 2012 The 2012 Tour de France was the 99th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours. It started in the Belgian city of Liège on 30 June and finished on the Champs-Élysées stage in the Tour de France, Champs ...

: he showed an art installation exhibited to thousands of spectators over a 24-hour period on July 8, 2012. In 2012 and 2013, his work was presented at the ''Berliner Liste'', a reputed and selective international art fair. Since 2010, Froehlich has worked very regularly with the ACHTZIG Gallery for Contemporary Fine Art in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. The ACHTZIG Gallery staged a solo exhibition of Froehlich's work in December 2013, entitled "World Theatre-Theatre World". At his occasion a book with his same title has been published by Editions Le Renard par la Queue, Lausanne, directed by the author Ferenc Rákóczy in a contemporary design by Chloé Donzé and contributions by the journalist José Ribeaud. Currently, Froehlich's work is focusing on the human being and the interaction between individual and crowds. Froehlich creates a kind of virtual human microcosmos notably by micro-sculptures integrated in painting-sculptures and sculpture-paintings. In fall 2013, Froehlich had the novel idea to suggest the scenic integration of microsculptures in watches. This idea was officially presented to Swiss watchmakers,Articl
Art et horlogerie
about the integration of microsculptures in watches, ''Quotidien Jurassien'', 2013 with the support of Pascal Bourquard and BIWI. From 2015 on, Froehlich has gradually begun to change his focus from crowds to the human being in all their various individualities, with the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

as his gateway to the subject, having concentrated mainly on sketching over a period of two years. The artist has, for example, used a pre-existing drawing or art work which he has magnified, while often focussing on amplifying a specific detail. This has given his compositions an amplitude and a liberty which bring them into line with the spirit of our times, using a multitude of techniques: pencil, charcoal, water colour, collage, acrylics and even

encaustic painting Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is a form of painting that involves a heated wax medium to which colored pigments have been added. The molten mix is applied to a surface—usually prepared wood, though canvas and other mate ...

, a very ancient technique using beeswax. The spirit of the Renaissance pervades his work: the intellectual excursion into

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The me ...

, a perfect mastery of the use of perspective and the magic that is beauty. Froehlich rejuvenates this era with an artistic vision which is both new and contemporary. One of the focuses of Froehlich's work is the Biblical character,

Haman Haman ( ; also known as Haman the Agagite) is the main antagonist in the Book of Esther, who according to the Hebrew Bible was an official in the court of the Achaemenid Empire, Persian empire under King Ahasuerus#Book of Esther, Ahasuerus, comm ...

, taking as his base a small sketch by

Bartolomeo Passarotti Bartolomeo Passarotti or Passerotti (1529–1592) was an Italian painter of the mannerist period, who worked mainly in his native Bologna. His family name is also spelled Passerotti or Passarotto. Life and work From approximately 1550 to 1555, h ...

whose subject was used in the painting of the ceiling of the

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel ( ; ; ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and ...

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

. Peter-Paul Rubens took up the subject of this sketch during the following century, reworking it in his manner. What liberty this inter-inspiration between artists permits! Pierre Hügli, an art magazine publisher wrote: “Who of the contemporary artists will show a passion for the sketches of the old masters, these riches hidden away in the archives, to the point of making them the starting point of a one-of-a-kind artistic creation?» The culmination of Froehlich's work can be seen in this autumn 2018's exhibition « Renaissance Magic » at the BLOCH Foundation (FARB) in Delémont. Two concerts will take place in tandem with the exhibition, featuring among others the works of the Romantic composer, Friedrich Théodor Froehlich (1803–1836), friend of Franz Schubert and an ancestor of the artist. Froehlich's reference to old master drawings is original and coherent. His paintings are inducing both contemplation and happiness. In fall 2020, th
Centre Saint-François in Delémont
(Jura) displays BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH (entre Ciel et terre). The show has a symbolic duration of 365 days. The

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

seems to energize the artist's creativity . Particular attention deserves his painting the COVID Christ (2020). This work is emblematic for Froehlich's way to create both a provocative and spiritual message, an artistic message of hope. Permacosonis

Since 2021, the park of the 19th century residence, Villa Dubail-Burrus that Florian Froehlich lives with his wife Isabelle and his family has been restored. The building inspired by French Baroque and its vast park regularly provide him with inspiration for his painting. Villa Dubail-Burrus becomes a member o
Domus Antiqua Helvetica
the Swiss association of owners of historic residences In 2022, Froehlich installed a very powerful stained glass installation at the Porrentruy cemetery - for his father-in-law Claude Duthé who died in 2019 - which he calls "fluxus vitae": Defying the tradition of a cemetery, he celebrates with this creation death by life. Like th
Saignelégier steles
he carried out this work in close collaboration with the Béguin stained glass workshop in St Croix and the locksmiths J.Pierre and Marianne Scheuner. A metallic spiral in ultramarine blue springs from the pink marble of Portugal, twists in space, tenderly embraces a face made of colored glass slab and then gets lost further, in infinity. Semi-transparent Iranian pink onyx is used for the funerary plaque. Fluxus vitae will become the family tomb.

Exhibitions

Individual exhibitions

* 2020: Entre Ciel et Terre (between heaven and earth). Centre Saint-François, Delémont (JU) * 2018 : Magie de la Renaissance Fondation Anne et Robert Bloch (FARB), Delémont (Suisse) * 2013 : ''World Theatre-Theatre World'', Achtzig Gallery for Contemporary Art,Berlin, Allemagne (décembre 2013). * 2012 : ''Tour de France, Jura stage on July 8, 2012: "Finishing line"'' : an installation with multiple sculptures and an old dusty bike. * 2007 : ''Galerie FARB'', Delémont, Suisse * 2005 : ''Galerie du Solstice'', Yverdon/Treycovagnes, Suisse * 2004 : ''Galerie du Solstice'', Yverdon/Treycovagnes, Suisse * 2003 : ''Galerie Catherine Clerc'', Lausanne, Suisse * 2002 : ''Galerie Paul Bovée'', Delémont, Suisse * 1998 : ''Galerie Courant d'Art'', Chevenez, Suisse; ''Galerie Paul Bovée'', Delémont, SuisseArticl
Florian Froehlich -Entre Abstraction et figuration
à propos de l'exposition en 1998 à la Galerie Bovée à Delémont, ''Quotidien Jurassien'', 1998 * 1997 : ''Galerie Pingeot-Gerbi'', Paris, France ; ''Galerie Catherine Clerc'', Lausanne, Suisse * 1994 : ''Galerie Catherine Clerc'', Lausanne, Suisse * 1993 : ''Galerie de l'Evole99, Neuchâtel, Suisse * 1992 : ''Fondation du Grand-Cachot-de-Vent'', Vallée de La Brévine, Suisse * 1991 : ''Galerie Jasmin'', Zurich, Suisse ; ''Galerie Black'', Lausanne, Suisse * 1989 : ''Galerie Jasmin'', Zurich, Suisse.

Group exhibitions

* 2023: Galerie Café du Soleil, Saignelégier, 26.11.23-14.1.24 * 2023: Biennale de la Société des Peintres et Sculpteurs Jurassiens SPSJ * 2021: Biennale de la Société des Peintres et Sculpteurs Jurassiens SPSJ * 2019: Biennale de la Société des Peintres et Sculpteurs Jurassiens SPSJ * 2015 et 2017 : Biennale de la Société des Peintres et Sculpteurs Jurassiens SPSJ (http://www.spsj.ch) * 2015 : Galerie Dukan Contemporary Art, Leipzig * 2014: Group exhibitions, Achtzig Gallery for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany * 2013: MicroArt: Exhibition of recent work to suggest the use of microsculptures in Swiss watchmaking. Plejouse, October 29, 2013 * 2013 : ''Galerie FARB'',

Delémont Delémont (; ; , ) is the capital of the Swiss canton of Jura. The city has approximately 12,000 inhabitants . History The area of the municipality was already settled in the middle Bronze Age. Fifteen urn burials have been discovered in the ...

, Switzerland * 2011–2013 : ''Achtzig Gallery for Contemporary Art'',

(plusieurs expositions en groupe) * 2010 : Exposition ''City Landscapes'', Achtzig Gallery for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany * 2009 : ''Swiss Museum of Stained Glass and Glass Art'', Romont (Vitromusée), Romont. Verarte.ch exhibition; du 4 avril au 20 septembre 2009 ; ''Galerie Meisterschüler'', Berlin, Germany * 2007 : ''Galerie Art Service'', Château d'Eguilly, Eguilly, France ; ''Galerie Bleu de Chine'', Fleurier, Switzerland * 2006 : Permanent exhibition of artworks, ''Galerie Alain Aubry'', Paris, France * 2005 : ''Verarte.ch : Exhibition of Glass Art'', Elisabethenkirche, Bâle, Switzerland * 2004 : ''Exposition au Musée suisse du vitrail et des arts du verre'', organisé par Verarte.ch, Romont, Switzerland * 2002 : Invitation to take part in a nationwide exhibition Expo 02 ; Kunstmuseum,

La Chaux-de-Fonds La Chaux-de-Fonds (; archaic ) is a Swiss city in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura Mountains at an altitude of 992 metres, a few kilometres south of the French border. After Geneva, Lausanne, Biel/Bienne, and Fribourg, ...

, Switzerland * 1998 : ''Centre d'Art en Face'',

, Switzerland * 1994 : ''120 artistes jurassiens'' (120 Jura artists), Delémont, Switzerland * 1992 : ''Galerie 67'',

Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...

, Switzerland

Publications

* Florian FROEHLICH : Magie de la Renaissance. Un retour aux sources de la beauté. octobre 2018. *Florian Froehlich : ''World Theatre – Theatre World''. Éditions Le renard par la queue, CH-1005 Lausanne, * ''Glasmalerei für das 21. Jahrhundert : Malen mit Glas und Licht'', * ''Biographisches Lexikon der Schweizer Kunst'', Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Froehlich, Florian Swiss contemporary artists 1959 births 20th-century Swiss painters Swiss male painters 21st-century Swiss painters 21st-century Swiss male artists Living people People from Pfäffikon, Zürich 20th-century Swiss male artists