Karl Korab still life 1981/82

Born in Lower Austria, Karl Korab knew at an early age that he wanted to become a painter. He completed his studies in the years 1957-1964 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna with Sergius Pauser. In those years, he was particularly enthusiastic about paintings by members of the so-called Viennese Fantastic Realism, whose precise painting style in old master technique and impressive mastery of color he admired greatly. In an interview on the occasion of his 75th birthday, Korab said that color had occupied him throughout his entire artistic career.
In this work from 1981/82, flat colors predominate. Apparently out of nowhere, Korab allows the composition to emerge from a nebulous background. Like an enigmatic backdrop, he stages this still life in predominantly dull white and grey tones. Are they plain facades, or does the painter merely intend geometric shapes? Does the artist provide a glimpse into a deserted, almost surrealistic landscape? The eye seems to recognize specific motifs, only to leave the viewer somewhat perplexed.
In this piece, everything is about accurately balanced colors and shapes. It is a „quiet” bravura painting, and with its fine details, invites to an intense examination.