Biography

Leopold Strobl, born in 1960 in Mistelbach, Lower Austria, and who from a scarce biographic record comes across as a Kafka-esque figure — yet one who found definitive solace and redemption in artistic practice; the focused contemplation that keeps mental demons at bay. Strobl has devoted himself exclusively to art for more than 35 years, and for the past 12 he has been a guest of the Open Studio program at the Gugging House of Artists in Vienna. He draws in the morning and single-mindedly finishes a new piece per session. This aspect of his routine relates directly to his chosen format (most works are approximately 4.2 x 3.9 in.). Strobl always renders his drawings — or the component parts of his paper collages — on carefully selected newsprint clips, which he then adheres onto clean drawing paper. He signs the back of every finished work with a personal symbol, notes the technical specifications, and — remarkably — records how long it took him to complete it.