Gunter Christmann
painter · sculptor
- April 23, 1936
- November 19, 2013
- 77 years
About Gunter Christmann
Gunter Christmann, 77, German-born Australian painter.
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Full Biography
|Gunter Christmann (23 April 1936 – 19 November 2013) was a German-born Australian painter.
Born in Berlin, Christmann emigrated to Australia in 1959. Regarded as a painter's painter, Christmann has been making abstract and figurative paintings since the early 1960s and has exhibited frequently since 1965 throughout Australia and overseas. He has been labelled as one of the major Australian artists of his generation and 'one of Australia's best kept secrets' by art historian and curator Mary Eagle. Christmann rose to prominence with his inclusion in the landmark exhibition The Field at the National Gallery of Victoria in 1968. From his hard edged colourfield paintings of the 1960s he went on to produce the "sprinkle" paintings of the 1970s. Throughout his different phases Christmann has maintained a fascination with the world around him, feeding off contemporary life, with his more recent works incorporating a ‘'tag" graffiti style that is drawn across his paintings, sometimes in almost obsessive repetition.
Exhibitions
Gunter Christmann started his career in the mid-1960s showing at Argus Gallery, Melbourne in 1965 and Central Street Gallery, Sydney in 1966. Since then he has held over 40 solo shows and participated in over 70 group exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas. Christmann has exhibited with many high-profile commercial galleries throughout his career, the longest-standing being Niagara Galleries, Melbourne with whom he has exhibited continuously since 1984. Historic moments in his career include his inclusion in The Field exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, as well as his participation in the XI Biennale of São Paulo, Brazil in 1971, and the First and Fourth Biennale of Sydney in 1973 and 1982. Christmann has participated in art fairs across Australia and New Zealand, most notably the Melbourne Art Fair in 2012 and the Auckland Art Fair in 2011. A posthumous retrospective of his life's work entitled Gunter Christmann: Now and Then was shown in 2014 at Heide Museum of Modern Art.
Collections
Christmann's work is included in most major public collections in Australia, including extensive holdings in the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra and the National Gallery of Victoria and other state galleries. He is represented internationally in the collections of the Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, H.R.M. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands' Collection and the British Museum, London and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunter_Christmann
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Gunter Christmann's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Gunter Christmann born?
- A.Melbourne
- B.Canberra
- C.Sydney
- D.Berlincorrect
Gunter Christmann was born in Berlin.
Source: biographical introduction
2.In what year did Gunter Christmann emigrate to Australia?
- A.1968
- B.1955
- C.1965
- D.1959correct
Gunter Christmann emigrated to Australia in 1959.
Source: biographical introduction
3.Which art historian and curator labeled Gunter Christmann as 'one of Australia's best kept secrets'?
- A.Daniel Thomas
- B.Mary Eaglecorrect
- C.Patrick McCaughey
- D.John Stringer
Art historian and curator Mary Eagle described Gunter Christmann as one of Australia's best kept secrets.
Source: biographical introduction
4.Which exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in 1968 helped Gunter Christmann rise to prominence?
- A.Australian Visions
- B.The Fieldcorrect
- C.Abstract Currents
- D.Modernism Now
Gunter Christmann rose to prominence after being included in the landmark exhibition The Field in 1968.
Source: biographical introduction
5.What type of paintings did Gunter Christmann produce during the 1970s?
- A.Minimalist
- B.Sprinklecorrect
- C.Impressionist
- D.Portraiture
After his 1960s colourfield paintings, Gunter Christmann produced the sprinkle paintings during the 1970s.
Source: biographical introduction
6.At which gallery did Gunter Christmann have his first exhibition in 1965?
- A.Argus Gallerycorrect
- B.Niagara Galleries
- C.Heide Museum
- D.Central Street Gallery
Gunter Christmann started his exhibition career at the Argus Gallery in Melbourne in 1965.
Source: exhibitions section
7.With which gallery has Gunter Christmann exhibited continuously since 1984?
- A.Berlinische Galerie
- B.Central Street Gallery
- C.Niagara Galleriescorrect
- D.Argus Gallery
Gunter Christmann has exhibited continuously with Niagara Galleries in Melbourne since 1984.
Source: exhibitions section
8.In which city was the XI Biennale that Gunter Christmann participated in held?
- A.Berlin
- B.Melbourne
- C.São Paulocorrect
- D.Sydney
Gunter Christmann participated in the XI Biennale of São Paulo, Brazil in 1971.
Source: exhibitions section
9.What is the name of the posthumous retrospective of Gunter Christmann's work held in 2014?
- A.The Life of a Painter
- B.Gunter Christmann: Now and Thencorrect
- C.The Field Revisited
- D.Abstract and Figurative
A posthumous retrospective entitled Gunter Christmann: Now and Then was shown in 2014 at Heide Museum of Modern Art.
Source: exhibitions section
10.Which international institution holds Gunter Christmann's work in their collection?
- A.Louvre Museum
- B.Uffizi Gallery
- C.Metropolitan Museum of Art
- D.British Museumcorrect
The work of Gunter Christmann is represented in the collection of the British Museum in London.
Source: collections section
11.What style does Gunter Christmann incorporate into his more recent paintings?
- A.Pop art
- B.Surrealism
- C.Pointillism
- D.Tag graffiticorrect
Gunter Christmann's recent works incorporate a tag graffiti style drawn across his paintings.
Source: biographical introduction
12.In what year did Gunter Christmann participate in the Fourth Biennale of Sydney?
- A.1982correct
- B.2011
- C.1973
- D.1971
Gunter Christmann participated in the First and Fourth Biennale of Sydney in 1973 and 1982.
Source: exhibitions section
13.In which city is the museum located that holds Gunter Christmann's work and shares his place of birth?
- A.London
- B.Sydney
- C.Belgrade
- D.Berlincorrect
Gunter Christmann's work is held by the Berlinische Galerie in Berlin, which is also his birthplace.
Source: collections section
14.When did Gunter Christmann die?
- A.23 April 2014
- B.19 November 2014
- C.23 April 2013
- D.19 November 2013correct
Gunter Christmann passed away on 19 November 2013.
Source: biographical introduction
15.Gunter Christmann participated in the Auckland Art Fair in which year?
- A.2013
- B.2010
- C.2011correct
- D.2012
Gunter Christmann participated in the Auckland Art Fair in 2011.
Source: exhibitions section
16.How many solo shows has Gunter Christmann held throughout his career?
- A.Over 70
- B.Over 40correct
- C.Over 50
- D.Over 30
Since starting his career, Gunter Christmann has held over 40 solo shows.
Source: exhibitions section
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