Heinz Mack (1931 Lollar, Germany) is a German sculptor and painter, internationally recognized for his pioneering role in light-based, kinetic, and non-representational art. Mack studied at the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (1950–1953) and philosophy at the University of Cologne, completing both programs with state exams in 1956.
In 1957, together with Otto Piene, Mack co-founded the influential ZERO group in Düsseldorf, which sought to redefine post-war art through light, movement, and material experimentation. Light became a central theme of his oeuvre, which spans sculpture, monumental public works, light reliefs, light cubes, rotors, stelae, paintings, drawings, pastels, ink works, graphics, photography, mosaics, ceramics, conceptual designs for public spaces, stage settings, and literary works.
Mack’s international career includes participation in Documenta III (1964) and Documenta VI (1977), and representing West Germany at the XXXV Venice Biennale (1970). That same year, he obtained a professorship in Osaka, Japan, and became a full member of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin, serving until 1992.
In recent years, Mack’s work has received renewed global attention: the 2014–2015 major ZERO exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, traveled to venues including the Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and the Sakip Sabanci Museum, Istanbul, attracting nearly 700,000 visitors. Solo exhibitions followed in Baden-Baden, Ulm, Duisburg, Istanbul, Berlin, Cologne, Paris, Singapore, Vienna, New York, and Hong Kong. In 2015, the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf unanimously elected Mack as an honorary member, and his catalogue raisonné of ZERO paintings was presented at the Akademiegalerie in Düsseldorf.
Since 2024, Mack’s legacy has been further consolidated through the establishment of the Mack Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Mönchengladbach, Germany, founded to preserve, document, and promote his artistic oeuvre and archive. The foundation maintains a comprehensive collection of Mack’s work, an extensive archive of documents, photographs, and ephemera, and supports exhibitions, research, publications, and authentication of his work. Distinct from the ZERO Foundation, the Mack Foundation focuses exclusively on Mack’s individual artistic legacy, consolidating seven decades of his work and facilitating global engagement with his art.
Over the course of his career, Heinz Mack has participated in over 400 solo exhibitions and numerous group shows. His works are included in approximately 136 public collections worldwide, and his contributions have been documented in multiple books, catalogues, and films.
Heinz Mack currently lives and works in Mönchengladbach, Germany, and Ibiza, Spain, continuing his exploration of light, space, and perception.
For information on available works by the artist, please contact the gallery.