HELMUT STARKE

(b. 1935 Offenbach, Germany)

BIOGRAPHY:

Starcke completed his apprenticeship at the Werbekunst Publicity Studio, Frankfurt. He then joined J Walter Thompson, Frankfurt, as a Graphic designer.  He then moved to Cape Town and worked with P N Barrett Advertising in Cape Town and Lindsay Smithers (Cape) Pty Advertising. His first solo exhibition of paintings was in Cape Town.

Starcke then joined Marketing Promotions Inc. He was selected for the Venice Biennale in 1964. He had another solo exhibition at the Lindchi Gallery, Johannesburg. He participated in the Contrast exhibition of drawings opposite paintings by Stanley Pinker, Cape Town.

Starcke was a founder member of the Artists' Gallery, Cape Town. He was again selected for the Venice Biennale in 1966. He participated in the first South African Breweries Exhibition and received a Bronze Medal for his painting Social Page.

He has another solo exhibition at the Lindchi Gallery, Johannesburg, and one at the Artists' Gallery, Cape Town. He also collaborated with Kevin Atkinson and Richard Wake on an environmental project.

Starcke then started own Graphic Design Studio and participated in the second South African Breweries Exhibition. This time, he was awarded a Silver Medal for his painting Firebird. He also participated in a metal sculpture on Green Market Square, Cape Town. He was selected for the Sao Paulo Biennale. He was also invited to teach Graphic Design at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town, after which he was appointed a full-time staff member at the Michaelis School of Fine Art.

Starcke has published a Portfolio of five screenprints entitled Haystacks, and contributed to the portfolio entitled Cape Town in Image and Words, published by Fine Art Folios. Other solo exhibitions were held at Fabian Fine Art Gallery, Cape Town, the University of Stellenbosch, the Irma Stern Museum (entitled Time and Nature of Photographic Information), the SA Association of Arts, Cape Town, the Everard Read Gallery and Vita Art Now Exhibition, the Johannesburg Art Gallery

CV:

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016

Reality Check, Group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town

Winter Collection, Group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town

2013  

Elegies to a Slender Scrub, CIRCA on Jellicoe, Johannesburg, South Africa

1991  

Solo exhibition, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

1988  

Solo exhibition held at the SA Association of Arts, Cape Town, South Africa

1983  

Time and Nature of Photographic Information solo exhibition, Irma Stern Museum, University of Cape Town, South Africa

1978  

Solo exhibition held at Fabian Fine Art Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

1977  

Solo exhibition held at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

1966  

Solo exhibition, Lindchi Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

1965  

Solo exhibition, Artists’ Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

1964  

Solo exhibition, Lindchi Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2016  

Opening Gallery Exhibition, CIRCA Gallery London, UK

2015  

Homage, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa 

Empire, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa 

Summer Show,  group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa 

2010  

Index 40: Leading Works from the Sanlam Art Collection - Smac Art Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2007  

Abstract South African Art from the Isolation Years: Part 1, Smac Art Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2003  

Contact Zones -Colonial & Contemporary, Stevenson, Cape Town, South Africa

1990  

Vita Art Now Exhibition, The Johannesburg Art Gallery,Johannesburg, South Africa

1969  

Contrast exhibition of drawings opposite paintings by Stanley Pinker, Cape Town, South Af