Biography

(German, b. 1913 - d. 1997)

Heinz Trökes (1913-1997) studied from 1933-1936 at the Höhere Fachschule für textile Fächenkunst in Krefeld with Johannes Itten. He then worked until 1939 as a textile designer in Augsburg. From 1956 to 1958 he headed the Department of Graphic Arts at the Kunsthochschule Hamburg, in 1965 he was called to the University of the Arts, Berlin.

His whole life he traveled extensively throughout the world. He participated in the first three documenta exhibitions in Kassel and was awarded many prizes and honors. Trökes’ work showed first surrealistic influence and developed over abstract-symbolic compositions in transparent-poetic coloring to figurative imagery in bright colors influenced by Pop art.