Biography
1951
Born in Munich to Martha Meuffels, a theater producer and Gerhard Szczesny, a writer
1957 – 1967
Primary and secondary school
Spends summers with his parents at the isle of Elba
1967-1969
Attends a private school for Free and Applied arts in Munich
1970-1971
At the same time he works as a freelance art critic for the “Abendzeitung” newspaper Munich
1969-1975
Studies at the Munich Academy of Applied Arts and attends classes in art and art history and philosophy at Munich University
1974
Marries Mechthild Moldenhauer
1975-1976
DAAD Scholarship in Paris.
Birth of his son David
1979
Birth of his daughter Sarah
1980
Awarded a stipend for the Villa Romana scholarship, Florence
1981
Organises the exhibition “Rundschau Deutschland”, as protagonist of Germany´s Neo-Expressionist painting movement
1982-1983
wins the Rome prize awarded by the Prussian Academy of Arts Berlin
A year in Villa Massimo, Rome
1984-1998
Editor of the Journal “Malerei, Painting Peinture”
Travels with his father to Masuria
Spends time in Morocco
1987
Birth of his son Roman
Travels to the United States, has his first major show, curated by Klaus Honnef in Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn*
1989
Birth of his son Aurel
1990
First trip tot he Caribbean. Barbados and Jamaica
1991-1992
Works on stage set for the Opera “Dunkles Haus” at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich
1993
Spends time with Elvira Bach in Sicily and works ion “Fiumara d´Arte”
Meets Eva Klein in New York and works with Donald Kuspit on the Szczesny monograph, published by DuMont in 1995
1994
Moves into his New York studio Warren Street
1995
“Voltaire project” in Postdam
Stays on the island Mustique for the fist time
Lindencorso art project in Berlin
1996
Founding of the Szczesny Factory and first publications released by the associated publishing company International Senefelder Prize for Prints
1997
Birth of his son Felix
1998
Works on glass sculptures in Murano, Italy
Travels to Israel
Starts his “Kempinski Art Project”
1999
Marries Eva Klein on Mustique
2000
Birth of his son Anton
“Living planet Art Project“ for the EXPO 2000 in Hanover
2001
Relocates to his new Studio “Le Mas des Palmiers “ in Saint Tropez, from now on main residence for himself and his family
Working trips and artists in residence at a studio in Seville, on the rooftop of a museum
2002
“Premiere of Szczesny –the Film (directed by Curt Faudon, New York ) at the Cannes International Film Festival
“Szczesny Mustique” is released
2003-2004
Begins work on ceramic sculptures for the art project “Villa Soleil”, Terre Blanche in Tourettes as well as creating the concept for the art project “ Le Roc” Roquebrunne sur Argens
2005
Begins work on the “ Le Roc” Roquebrunne sur Argens
2006
Shadow sculptures all over the city of St. Tropez
Opening of the Szczesny Factory in Berlin
2005-2007
Mainau Island: A Dream of Earthly Paradise, Germany
2007
Musée de la Photographie Villa Aurélienne, Fréjus
Centre d’art la Malmaison, Cannes
2008
Shadow sculptures Grimaud, France
Art Project “summer in Tegernsee”, Germany
Shadow sculptures, Sternberg Lounge, Düsseldorf
Shadow sculptures, Villa Aurelien, Fréjus
Ceramics, Villa Domergue, Cannes
2009
Caribbean Style, Szczesny Factory, Berlin
Garden show, Rechberghausen
32 sculptures for the Art Basel in Miami
2010
Grand opening of the new atelier and establishing central storehouse in Saint Tropez
Beginning of the Art Project Shadow Sculptures in Saint Tropez, Saint Moritz Sylt together with Jaguar
2011
Art Project Shadow Sculptures in Saint Tropez – Saint Moritz – Sylt together with Jaguar
The city of Saint Tropez is honouring Stefan Szczesny´s 60th birthday with a large sculpture exhibition throughout the town
2012
Schatten im Park, Schloss Bensberg/Schloss Lerbach
Szczesny at the Adlon, Hotel Adlon, Berlin
Szczesny in Frankfurt, with main exhibition “Kunstgarten Palmengarten” at the Palmengarten, Frankfurt
Szczesny: Neue Wilden works from the 80s, 532 Gallery Thomas Jaeckel, New York
2013
“Saint-Tropez meets Miami”, paintings and sculptures, Addison House Miami
“Méditerannée. L’esprit du sud” paintings at Gallery Guy Pieters, in Saint Paul de Vence
2014
“Saint-Tropez meets Miami”, paintings and sculptures, CU-1 Gallery Miami
“Métamorphoses méditerranéennes”, Palais des Papes, Avignon
“Paintings and ceramics”, Galerie Sassi Milici, Vallauris
2015
Tree of Life and ceramics, Villa Domergue, Cannes
Szczesny at the Jigsaw flagship store, London
Galerie Kronsbein, Munich
Exhibition of sculptures, Domaine de la Croix, La Croix Valmer
2016
“Welcome to Saint-Tropez”, redbox gallery, Zurich
2017
Retrospective Sculptures 2005-2017 at the Citadelle de Saint-Tropez
“Tour de l´Art” Steigenberger Parkhotel & Galerie Kellerman, Düsseldorf
Althoff Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg, Bergisch Gladbach Cologne
2018
Szczesny “ die andere Eva” at the Galerie Reitz , Cologne
“Feedback” Galerie Heitsch, Munich
2019
“Szczesny-Céramiques”, Lavoir Vasserot, Saint-Tropez, May 4-14, 2019
“Szczesny-Les Baux-de-Provence”, Cité des Baux-de-Provence, June 1st, 2019 -February 28th, 2020
“Szczesny-Aquarelles”, September 2019-April 2020, Galerie Espace des Lices, Saint-Tropez
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, September 28th-October 6th 2019, Village des Voiles, Saint-Tropez
“Szczesny-The Dance”, Context Art Miami, December 3rd-8th 2019, Miami
2020
Stefan Szczesny, « Caribbean Mood II », January 16th-February 6th 2020, Galerie Asie, Saint-Barthélémy
Stefan Szczesny, « Selected prints », Anse Chastanet Gallery, from February 13th 2020, Santa Lucia
Stefan Szczesny, Sculptures exhibition, Beddington Fine Art, Bargemon, April-September 2020
Stefan Szczesny, « Sylt Art Fair », Geuer & Geuer, Düsseldorf – Sylt, Germany, June 24th – October 18th 2020
« Szczesny : Surfin’ Saint-Tropez », 2-8 July & 13-19 August 2020, Lavoir Vasserot, Saint-Tropez, France
“Stefan Szczesny – Neue Bilder/Recent Paintings”, October 23rd 2020-January 17th 2021, Geuer & Geuer Art Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany
2021
« Szczesny : Sculptures monumentales au Parc du Château de la Moutte », Saint-Tropez, Fonds de dotation Szczesny Art Foundation, 1. August – 17. October 2021
“Stefan Szczesny – Gemälde. Aquarelle. Skulpturen”, 20. August 2021- , Geuer & Geuer Art Gallery, Düsseldorf, Germany
« Stefan Szczesny : Sailing #Art4GlobalGoals », Monheim, 22. August 2021
« Stefan Szczesny : Global Goals Project », Ludwig Museum Koblenz, 25. September – 28. November 2021
« Szczesny : Sailing #Art4GlobalGoals Project », Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Saint-Tropez, 25. September – 9. October 2021 (with Geuer & Geuer Art Gallery)
« Szczesny : Peintures et sculptures sous le soleil de Saint-Tropez », Salle Jean Despas, Saint-Tropez, 1. -17. October 2021
2022
« Szczesny : Peintures et sculptures », Guy Pieters Gallery, Albertplein, Knokke, 2.-18. April 2022
« Szczesny – Sailing Art#4GlobalGoals”, Paris, UNESCO, 8.-9. & 10. June
“Szczesny Art Project – Grimaud”, Grimaud, 27. May – 15. October 2022
“Szczesny – Kitz Art Project », Kitzbühel, 17. December 2022 – 31. April 2023
2023
“Szczesny : Céramiques & Oeuvre graphique », Lavoir Vasserot, Saint-Tropez, 4 – 10. May 2023
« Stefan Szczesny – Painting Paradise », Kunsthaus Artes, Berlin, Germany, 01. July – 2. September 2023
« Szczesny Sail #Art4GlobalGoals », Geneva, Switzerland, 9 – 12. June 2023
“Stefan Szczesny & Elvira Bach”, Galerie Noah, Augsburg, Germany, 27. July – 24. September 2023
Since 1974 : Numerous solo and group exhibitions in art galleries and museums.
2020 : Creation of the Fonds de dotation SZCZESNY ART FOUNDATION – Saint-Tropez.
Venues included : Munich, Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Zurich, Rome, Venice, Amsterdam, Saint-Tropez, Chicago, Miami and New York, as well as numerous art and building projects (amongst others: Lindencorso Berlin; Kempinski Marbella, Expo Hannover, Terre Blanche, Côte d’Azur).
Stefan Szczesny lives and works in St. Tropez and Berlin.