Albert Axel Tonndorff Mertz (31 January 1920 – 30 December 1990) was a Danish painter. He was one of the leading artists in the Linien II artists association, working in a Constructivist style in a limited number of strong colours.

Biography

Born in Copenhagen, Mertz was only 16 when he first exhibited at the Artists Autumn Exhibition (''

Kunstnernes Efterårsudstilling Den Frie Udstilling ('The Free Exhibition') is a Danish artists' association, founded in 1891 by artists in protest against the admission requirements for the Kunsthal Charlottenborg. Modeled on the Salon des Refusés, it is Denmark's oldest asso ...

'') in 1936. From 1936 to 1938, he studied at the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Dan ...

under Aksel Jørgensen. He experimented with Pointillism and Surrealism before turning to film, creating Denmark's first experimental film ''Flugten'' (1942) together with

Jørgen Roos Jørgen is a Danish, Norwegian, and Faroese masculine given name cognate to George People with the given name Jørgen * Jørgen Aall (1771–1833), Norwegian ship-owner and politician * Jørgen Andersen (1886–1973), Norwegian gymnast * Jørge ...

. As a result, he was inspired to work with collages and photomontages. In the late 1940s, he became one of the leading artists in Linien II, working in a simplified Constructivist style from 1948 with a limited number of strong colours. In the late 1950s, he associated with the German-born Arthur Köpcke who opened a gallery in Copenhagen which became popular with artists working with

Fluxus Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers and poets during the 1960s and 1970s who engaged in experimental art performances which emphasized the artistic process over the finished product. Fluxus ...

and

Neo-Dada Neo-Dada was a movement with audio, visual and literary manifestations that had similarities in method or intent with earlier Dada artwork. It sought to close the gap between art and daily life, and was a combination of playfulness, iconoclasm, a ...

. From 1962 to 1976, Martz lived in France where he painted in his typical reds and blues, while in the 1980s, he created installations with Lone Mertz in Paris and Munich.

Awards

In 1964, Mertz was awarded the

Eckersberg Medal The Eckersberg Medal (originally the ''Akademiets Aarsmedaille'' or Annual Academy Medal) is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It is named after Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, known as the father of Danish painting. The Ec ...

and, in 1988, the

Thorvaldsen Medal The Thorvaldsen Medal ( Danish: Thorvaldsens Medalje, Thorvaldsen Medaillen) is awarded annually with few exceptions to a varying number of recipients by the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and is its highest distinction within the visual arts. I ...

Publication

* ''Cinema'', Gent: Imschoot, 1988 .

References

Literature

External links

Examples of Albert Martz' work from Clausens KunsthandelIllustrated list of Albert Mertz' work in Danish museums from Kunstindeks Danmark
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mertz, Albert 1920 births 1990 deaths 20th-century Danish painters Artists from Copenhagen Recipients of the Thorvaldsen Medal Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni