Manfred MAKRA
Born in 1956 in Graz, Austria, Manfred Makra opened his first studio in Graz at the age of 19 after completing his secondary studies.
Initially shaped by post-war Austrian art, Informalism, and Art Brut, his artistic journey took a significant turn in 1982 when he discovered the work of Lombard painter Antonio Calderara. This encounter marked the beginning of his exploration of a contemplative visual and formal language.
Later, Makra delved into the Renaissance concept of Archipittura—the fusion of architecture and painting—and expanded his practice to mural painting, collaborating with architects on national and international projects. His work was also profoundly influenced by his travels to Japan, where the aesthetics of Japanese Zen Buddhism left a lasting impression.
ARTISTIC INTENTION
Behind my paintings there are three identities that carry the work:
The identity of space and surface,
the identity of light and color,
the identity of line and form.
These three identities are inseparably connected with each other, they reference each other and are their reciprocal condition. In each image they come together and show their complexity as the most simple thing in the world.