Collection online
FilterMax Kämpf
Max Kämpf was born in Basel in 1912. After his apprenticeship as a painter and decorator, he worked as a journeyman painter between 1931 and 1938. Kämpf was already exploring art during his apprenticeship, and attended the Kunstgewerbeschule [school of arts and crafts] in Basel between 1937 and 1938, after which he began working as an artist. Although Kämpf was not a member of any political party, he supported the causes of communist, Jewish and Christian organisations, which explains why religious themes are repeatedly found in his oeuvre. In 1941, the competition jury of the City of Basel’s Staatliche Kunstkredit [State Art Council] spoke in favour of Kämpf’s design for a mural on the façade of the orphanage on Theodorskirchplatz. Due to moral concerns, however, the mural was never produced. In 1948 he co-founded the artists’ group Kreis 48 [Circle 48]. In 1960, he was awarded the Grand Prix of Switzerland for painting. In the 1970s and 1980s, Kämpf went on several to trips the USA where he met indigenous Americans. He died of cancer in 1982.
Max Kämpf was born in Basel in 1912. After his apprenticeship as a painter and decorator, he worked as a journeyman painter between 1931 and 1938. Kämpf was already exploring art during his apprenticeship, and attended the Kunstgewerbeschule [school of arts and crafts] in Basel between 1937 and 1938, after which he began working as an artist. Although Kämpf was not a member of any political party, he supported the causes of communist, Jewish and Christian organisations, which explains why religious themes are repeatedly found in his oeuvre. In 1941, the competition jury of the City of Basel’s Staatliche Kunstkredit [State Art Council] spoke in favour of Kämpf’s design for a mural on the façade of the orphanage on Theodorskirchplatz. Due to moral concerns, however, the mural was never produced. In 1948 he co-founded the artists’ group Kreis 48 [Circle 48]. In 1960, he was awarded the Grand Prix of Switzerland for painting. In the 1970s and 1980s, Kämpf went on several to trips the USA where he met indigenous Americans. He died of cancer in 1982.
