Hubert Schmalix

Through a selection of works from various periods, the presentation at the art fair Art Brussels 2026 in the sector “’68 Forward“ explores the work of Hubert Schmalix, from his early days in the 1980s as a member of the ‘Young Wild Ones’ to his later works.

With his expressive, gestural style and his figurative and abstract works, Hubert Schmalix was one of the leading figures of the ‘Young Wild Ones’ movement. Over time, and following his move to the Philippines and later to Los Angeles, where he lived from 1987 onwards, his style evolved towards a contemplative, reduced form vocabulary. The atmosphere in his paintings became lighter, more expansive and defined by the light of the colours. The landscapes he began painting in the mid-2010s are neither American nor Austrian, but rather idealised representations featuring recurring motifs such as mountains, waterfalls, rocks and trees. In later years, figures and self-portraits reappeared more frequently in his work, also reflecting personal developments.

Abstraction, figuration, still life and landscape were central themes in Hubert Schmalix’s work. By bringing together works from different periods, the presentation offers an insight into his oeuvre and shows why Hubert Schmalix is one of Austria’s most significant painters.

Hubert Schmalix (*1952, Graz, AT; †2025, Los Angeles, USA) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and was a visiting professor at UCLA in Los Angeles (1992–2005) as well as a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (1997–2006). In 2022, he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art. As early as 1980, he took part in the Aperto 80 exhibition at the Venice Biennale and in 1984 at the Sydney Biennale. Solo and group exhibitions were held regularly at major Austrian institutions such as the Albertina Modern, the Bank Austria Kunstforum, the Schlossmuseum Linz, the Stadtgalerie Klagenfurt and the Neue Galerie Graz. He exhibited in galleries in Vienna, Düsseldorf, Brussels and Los Angeles, amongst others. Schmalix has held regular solo exhibitions at Smolka Contemporary since the gallery’s inception in 2013. Hubert Schmalix lived and worked in Los Angeles and Vienna.

Please find more information the fair at artbrussels.com