2018 Catalogue Archive

Greta Schödl was born in Austria in 1929. After studying at the Viennese Academy of Applied Arts, she left Austria in 1959 to settle in Bologna, Italy. It is in her new home that she developed her use of letters, symbols, and simplified geometric shapes repeated in delicate patterns. Here, gold lines mimic the scale and composition of text on a scroll, though the vertical lines convey no literal meaning, but rather a delicate, intentional human touch and expressive impulse.  The use of gold on radiant blue imbues the work with a sense of sacredness that elevates the personal, intimate nature of the work. Though virtually unknown in the mainstream public, Schödl is one of the most significant artists working in the field of visual poetry in Italy in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Her work has been shown in the US and Europe.