Christian Scholz, born 1951 in Stockholm, lives and works in Zurich.

 

On his journey from the north southwards, Scholz developed the motivation and enthusiasm to build up a corpus of photographic work in Switzerland. But, pf course, there are as well other portraits existing. In addition to his amazing Corpus of Swiss Portraits he has pursued many other artistic projects over the years. For example, the “Light Project” (2014–2016) or, before that, the four-part “Body Project”. His “Flying objects” exhibition in Dock E of Zurich Airport in 2015 was an event unique to the whole of Europe. In 2017 this and some of his other works were on show at the Zurich Galerie Bildhalle ("The Body Project"). The opening takes place in attendance and with a speech of Mike Guyer, architect, based in Zurich.

 

Scholz has also just completed a five-year commission for the Art at Swiss Re collection which includes a series on construction workers in classical black and white (2013– 2017). A lavish edition has also been produced (portfolio edition "Five years in view", colored photography). Finally now Christian Scholz has completed the black&white portfolio "Cinema people" and has finished his SELECTION 192 (Switzerland 2018) as well as “501 The complete corpus of Portraits Switzerland” (Switzerland 2020), reflecting his big work from 1990 – 2020In 2021 / 2022 he has realized the first time a detailed dossier, translated in 3 languages (English, French, Ferman) concerning his working process in the last decades. And a new photo book has been published 2021, a book called “Femmes de Suisse”, published with 66 picture-plates by Christoph Merian Verlag, Basel. After that he was preparing the project “"In the face of the Highlands" (Engadin / Scotland 2022/2023).

Previous publication:

• Das ist die Kunst (“This is art”, quotation by Gerd Sander), Edition Schwarzweiss, Aesch 2018),
• Kino-Menschen (“Cinema people”), private print, limited edition, Zurich 2017,
• Der Kompass des Lichts (“Compass of Light”), Edition Schwarzweiss, Aesch 2016,
• 33 Portraits (“33 portraits”), Edition Schwarzweiss, Aech 2014
• Die Zeit der Kamera (“The Time of the Camera”), Schwabe Verlag, Basel 2013
• Körper (“Bodies”), Schwabe Verlag, Basel 2011
• Flugkörper (“Flying objects”), private print, limited edition, Zürich 2008
• Schweizer Künstler (“Swiss Artists”), Portraits, Bern 2007
  (introduction to catalogue: Thomas Koerfer)

 

Exhibitions and Collections

It was in 2007 that an exclusive first insight into the portrait work of Christian Scholz was presented by the Galerie Kornfeld with the Swiss artists. Other exhibitions followed. At that point, the concept of the four groups of works had not yet evolved.

 

New exhibitions are intended to present this concept and to make the 501 Corpus of Portraits Switzerland, which has evolved over decades, better known – both in Switzerland and abroad – and at the same time to revive the genre of photographic portraiture.

 

Whether viewing the works in a portfolio or as framed exhibits in a show: the comparative observation and the visualization of the precise selection and progression of a series reveal the overall context and the specific visual vocabulary.

 

Christian Scholz is represented in public and private collections in Switzerland
(selection from end of sept. 2022)

 

Prints and Drawings Department of the Swiss National Library (NL), Bern

Prints and drawings collection and photographic archive of the Central Library Zurich

 

Franz Wassmer art collection, Ennetbaden

Photo Elysée (Cantonal museum of Photography), Lausanne

Cinématèque Suisse, art collection, Lausanne

National Portrait Gallery, London, United Kingdom

LUMA Arles (France). art collection / LUMA foundation, Zurich

Centre Georges Pompidou (National museum of modern art), Paris, France

Prints and drawing collection of the Swiss National Library (SNB), Bern

 

Canton Zurich art collection, Zurich

Cantonal Bank art collection, Zurich

Art at Swiss Re, Zurich

Bank E. Gutzwiller & Cie art collection, Basel

Bank Vontobel art collection, Zurich

Flughafen Zürich AG art collection, Kloten

Bank Julius Bär art collection, Zurich

Mike Guyer art collection, Zurich

Hess Art Collection, Liebefeld near Bern

Claudio Righetti art collection, Bern

Hubert Looser art collection, Zurich

Regula Reiter art collection, Hinwil

Angela Rosengart art collection, Lucerne

Gitti Hug art collection, Küsnacht

Ellen and Michael Ringier art collection, Küsnacht

Walter B. Kielholz art collection, Zurich

Thomas Bechtler art collection, Uster

Thomas Koerfer art collection, Zurich

Albert Kriemler art collection, St. Gallen

Ursula Hauser art collection, Henau

Peter Handschin, art collection, Basel

Nadia Guth Biasini art collection Basel

Esther Grether art collection, Basel

Pierre de Meuron art collection, Basel

 

Art collection of the German Literature Archive, Marbach, Germany

Photographic Collection of the August Sander Archive, Cologne, Germany

Kunsthalle Würth, Schwäbisch Hall, Germany

Matthew W. art collection, Illinois, USA

 

One of the shortest, but impressive comments by people, who were portrayed, came from Zürich: “Glorious works” (Pipilotti Rist, artist). One of the most impressive, but modest comments came from an address in Basel: “… and that am I perhaps granted a place as one small tessera (mosaic stone) in your wonderful collection.” (Ivan Levkovits, scientist). He was able to receive one of the most important judgements for the artist from Lausanne: “Scholz’s immense work presents as an indepentdent, self-contained corpus. It is an extraordinary commemoration of the art of portraiture.” (Tatyana Franck, director Musée Elysée, until jan. 2022). And from abroad: “The prints are marvellous” (Clare Freestone, National Portrait Gallery, London).