Eric Massholder

Background

Ethnicity: Massholder's mother is French-Italian and father is of German origin.

Massholder was born in Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, on December 12, 1960.

Education

Eric Massholder is known mainly as a self-taught artist. In 1979 he spent several months in Morocco studying painting. The following two years he travelled a lot visiting Sicily, Greece and India in 1980 and Nice in 1981. From 1981 till 1982 Massholder pursued his brief studies of art at the Villa Arson, Nice.

Career

Massholder held his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Krivy, Nice, in 1986. The following year he had another personal exhibition at the H.S. Galerie in his native Heidelberg as well as a group exhibition at the Galerie Archetype, Nice.

These exhibits were followed by his solo shows at the Galerie Hanin-Nocera, Paris, in 1992; Centre du Palais, Nice, in 1998; Gallery Percosi d'Arte, Venice, in 1999; Galerie Quadrige, Nice, in 2006; Thomas-Dehler-Haus, Berlin, in 2007; Weinheim Galerie, Weinheim, in 2013; Galerie Z22, Berlin, in 2015; among others.

Among his collective exhibitions should be mentioned those held at the SAGA, Paris, in 1989; Sole Tuna Artfair, Stockholm, in 1991; Salon International du Livre au Festival d’Art, Monte Carlo, in 2000; Goya Museum, Castres, in 2009; Katalanische Meister, Wiesbaden, in 2012; Kamil Galerie du Forum, Monaco, in 2016, etc.

Eric Massholder produced a large number of illustrations for various books and periodicals, including a cover page for Cinéma et Liberté in 1993; cover of the art magazine Art Croisés in 2001; poster for Concours National de Création Artistique des grandes Écoles et des Entreprises. ("Vivre l'accélération") in 2002; poster for Concours National de Création Artistique des grandes Écoles et des Entreprises. ("Canaliser l'énergie") in 2003; Illustrations for Modéfication by Raphael Monticelli in 2009; illustrations for Père Puissant et son Fils by Raphael Monticului.

In his artworks, Massholder usually expresses his desires, fears and dreams. For this purpose, he uses the same grammar and style of expression again and again. For instance, life and death can be found in the form of eggs or skulls in his paintings.

Achievements

• 

  Eric Massholder is a prominent contemporary artist. He is well-known for such his artworks as Family, Circuse, A Gift, Shamane II, La femme aux lunettes, etc.
  
  The artist's works have been on display at numerous international exhibition venues, and they are frequently exhibited today, for example, his paintings can easily be found at ARTLOFTANDMORE Showroom Berlin or Galerie Z22.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • La femme aux lunettes

  • Circuse

  • Zyklus Monte Verita

  • Shamane II

  • Dinner on the Grass

  • Hommage À Vincent Van Gogh

  • A Gift

  • Family

  • Le chaman III

  • La Spiral

  • Sex Bombe

  • Heiro with baby and dog

  • Le Torero

  • Floral

  • Devant La mine

  • Headache

  • Femmes aux Lunettes

  • L'enfant du monde

  • Dragon Dollar III

  • Daddydead

  • Untitled

  • Untitled

  • Untitled

  • Untitled

Views

Massholder uses painting to express himself because words are not enough for him. Therefore, he does not want to bind himself to a particular technique or materials.

Quotations: "A picture is only finished once it is destroyed. You have to bow to progress in order to perish."

Interests

• Artists

  Salvador Dali, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso