CHANGE OF ADDRESS OF THE ROMAN HEADQUARTERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
 

On 8 December 2023 the Rome headquarters of the Associazione Culturale Christian Hess moved from via Ignazio Guidi 13 to Via Cristoforo Colombo 179
 
 

EXHIBITION IN LUCCA "LOUIS CHRISTIAN HESS AND ITALY: IN SEARCH OF PARADISE"

 

The Associazione CUlturale Christian Hess has organized in Lucca, from 9 to 31 July 2016, in collaboration with the Fondazione del Monte del Banco di Lucca, the retrospective of oils, watercolors and engravings by the German painter.
 
 

EXHIBITION “CHRISTIAN HESS: MESSINA BETWEEN LAND AND DREAM”
 

The Associazione Culturale Christian Hess has organized in Messina from 15 to 31 December 2015, in Sala degli Specchi of the Palazzo dei Leoni, the Exhibition “Christian Hess: Messina between Earth and Dream” in the 120th anniversary of the birth of the German painter who from 1933 to 1937 spent an artistic exile in the city of Messina to escape Nazi ostracism. The exhibition opened with the painting “Messina 1937”, signed Luigi Hess, owned by the former Provincial Administration. The initiative took place in collaboration with the Italian-German Cultural Association of Messina and with the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Messina, of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany e of the representation in Italy of the EU Commission.
Three concerts were dedicated to Hess by three young pianists: Antonia and Francesco Comito, twin brothers, and Anna Bulkina, an internationally renowned Russian pianist.
 

THE TOMB OF CHRISTIAN HESS OUTRAGED BY VANDALS
 

In the Westfriedhof cemetery in Innsbruck, the German painter's grave Louis Christian Hess (1895-1944) was the subject of an act of vandalism. The news arrived on November 21st 2015 to the Associazione Culturale Christian Hess of Rome which informed the Innsbruck judiciary asking for investigate the outrageous episode. Unknown persons broke the large marble cross above the grave, which has fallen of weight on the floral decoration on the ground. (In the two photos: the tomb as it was and how it was reduced)
 

MEMORY OF CHRISTIAN HESS IN THE 70TH OF DEATH
 

On November 26, 2014, run the 70th anniversary of the death of German painter Christian Hess, the Cultural Association named after him, paid homage to the tomb of Master in the Westfriedof cemetery in Innsbruck. Hess had almost 49 years old when he was picked up dying among the rubble of his house bombed by Allied planes and transported in the Schwaz hospital where he passed away. To perpetuate his memory His works are kept as a memory in Tirolerlandesmuseum Ferdinandeum Innsbruck, Rabalderhaus Museum Schwaz, Museion Bolzano, Civic Museum Bolzano, Goethe Gallery Bolzano, Stadt-Museum Munich, Kunstgalerie Irene&Josef Schuetz Vienna, Kunstgalerie Maier Innsbruck, Messina Province Gallery, Modern Art Gallery Palermo.
 

PROPOSAL TO ENTITLE THE RIVIERA OF MESSINA AFTER HESS
 

In the autumn of 2013
 the presidents of the Christian Hess Association of Rome, Giuseppe M. Ardizzone, and of the Association Friends of the Messina Museum, Franz Riccobono, formed the Promoting committee toentitle a section of the Riviera dello Stretto to the German painter Christian Hess who lived there from 1933 to 1938 illustrating in his paintings the Messina of the 30's years, the humanity of its people, the mythical motifs, classics and landscapes with such coloristic vigor so much so that he can be defined as “Lyrical singer of Messina". in support of the project were produced two DVDs with the most significant works and related dossiers.

EXHIBITION MORENO BONDI IN PALAZZO VENEZIA

 

The Association Christian Hess has organized with the patronage of the Italian “Ministero per I beni e le attività culturali” the Exhibition “Moreno Bondi: The Caravaggio’s light and shadow in the contemporary” that was presented with success from march 21st to april 25th 2012 in Rome Palazzo Venezia.
 

CHRISTIAN HESS EXHIBITION IN BRUNICO
 

The municipal Museum of Brunico has paid a tribute to Christian Hess with the Exhibition (28th October - 4th  December 2012) “Back to the origins one century later” to express the thankful closeness of the town to the prestigious artist from Alto Adige who started his apprenticeship in 1913 by the local ceramic laboratory Kuntner. The Exhibition has been organized by the Cultural Association Christian Hess in partnership with the Pro-Museo Brunico Association.
 

SICILIAN EXPRESSIONISM PROJECT
 

In July 2011 the ACH Editions published Sergio Spadaro’s essay “ Sicilian Expressionism” with a preface by Vanni Ronsisvalle. The essay is based on a trend started in 1925 by the German painter Christian Hess, whose influence also appears in the works of the famous Sicilian painters such as Guttuso, Migneco,  Gianbecchina together with many other representatives who deserve to be included in a great exhibition. The idea for an exhibition about the “Sicilian Expressionism” is now holding the attention of the cultural Institutions.
 

OUR OFFICE OPENED IN BOLZANO

 

In June 2011 the Cultural Association Christian Hess opened its new office in Bolzano by the Kuratorium for the Technical and Cultural Heritage in 71, Portici street. The office is opposite C. Hess’ birthplace, which is mentioned by the Municipality of Bolzano with a commemorative plaque. New opportunities of collaboration are now possible to the Association in the area of Alto Adige, in order to remember the distinguished painter who was able to breathe the European culture of his time.
 

FIRST CHRISTIAN HESS’ TRAVELLING EXHIBITION
 

On this website, the documentation about the 12 stages of the First Travelling Exhibition of Christian Hess is now available. From the opening ceremony on November 26th 1974 in Palermo, to the final event in March 1977 at the Kunstverein of Munich. More than 200
new pages rich in images summing up the success of the twelve Events exhibited in Italy, Austria and Germany together with the estimable accounts of nearly 40 art critics belonging to the three crossed countries.    
 

LECTIO MAGISTRALIS ON CHRISTIAN HESS’OPUS
 
Two “Lectio magistralis” on Christian Hess’Opus have been held in Rome by the niece of the painter, prof. Luisa Starrentino Ardizzone, on 27th and 29th May 2010 at the public Liceo of Art (via Ripetta and viale Pinturicchio), arousing great interest in the students of the last courses.
 

BROCHURE ABOUT THE ART OF CHRISTIAN HESS
 
Computer graphics composition for a brochure about the art of Christian Hess, made by the students of the advanced course, directed by Maria Felice Reich-Steinfl, promoted together with Don Milani Association. Rome - May 24th 2010
 

CHRISTIAN HESS’S WOMEN ON 10 VARIATIONS
 
On the occasion of the International Women's Day 2010, the Christian Hess Cultural Association presented the video “Christian Hess’s Women on 10 variations” over the Mozart Minuetto K 573 - Pianist: Kikuko Kurose
 

UPDATING WEBSITE WITH THE LATEST FINDINGS
 
General updating of website, especially the virtual Gallery following the purchase of images of around a hundred of Hess’ works which had been unknown at the time of the Rediscovery Exhibition (1970’s). Further testimony including personal statements and additional information to supplement Hess’ biography. Continued translation for the German and English versions of the website.
 

Christian Hess - A european painter between the two wars
 
Production of the video “Christian Hess - A European painter between the two wars” on the occasion of the Hess Retrospective at the Municipal Museum in Bolzano (26 Nov. 2008 - 30 Jan. 2009) with speeches by Luigi Spagnolli - Mayor of Bolzano, Primo Schönsberg - City Council spokesman for culture, Stefan Demetz - Director of the Museum, and the art historian and critic Carl Kraus curator of the exhibition and the catalogue. 
 

“BOLZANO HONOURS THE ART OF CHRISTIAN HESS”
 
Publication and distribution of the booklet “Bolzano honours the art of Christian Hess: A European painter rediscovered in Sicily and restored to South Tyrolean culture”. An account of the first historic exhibition (1975 Galleria Goethe via della Mostra) and the latest (26 Nov. 2008 - 30 Jan. 2009 Municipal Museum)
 

RESTORATION AND HOMAGE AT THE TOMB OF HESS
 

On the occasion of the 64th anniversary of Christian Hess’ death (26 November 2008) the Association organised the restoration of the artist’s tomb at the Westfriedhof cemetery in Innsbruck. There followed a commemorative ceremony with the laying of a wreath. Among those attending were Luisa Ardizzone, the painter’s niece, and Ester Caiani, the director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Innsbruck. The 64th anniversary of the death of Christian Hess coincided with the inauguration of the retrospective exhibition dedicated to the artist at the Municipal Museum in Bolzano.

 

DVD INAUGURATION SCHWAZ EXHIBITION
 
Production of a documentary dvd covering the inauguration – 13 June 2008 - of the Hess retrospective at the Rabalderhaus Museum in Schwaz.
 

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH
 
Participation in the research for a degree thesis on the thought and works of Christian Hess presented in July 2008 at La Sapienza University Rome by Cristiana Vignatelli-Bruni (thesis supervisor professor Claudio Zambianchi). Ms Vignatelli-Bruni graduated summa cum laude.
 

PATRONAGE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
 
Following a request to its President Hans-Gert Pöttering, the European Parliament grants its High Patronage to the Christian Hess Exhibition, curated by the Austrian art historian Carl Kraus, which was held in the summer of 2008 at the Museum Rabalderhaus in Schwaz - the city where Hess died - and from November 2008 to January 2009 at the Municipal Museum in Bolzano - where the artist was born.
 

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE FOR THE CRITIC-HISTORIAN CARL KRAUS
 

Extensive and profitable collaboration with the Austrian art critic and historian Carl Kraus including provision of a vast range of documents and pictures from the Hess archive used for the catalogue of the exhibition in Schwaz and Bolzano
 

PRESS CAMPAIGN FOR THE SCHWAZ-BOLZANO EXHIBITION
 
Series of press releases in English, German and Italian to publicise the Hess Exhibition at the Rabalderhaus Museum in Schwaz and the Municipal Museum in Bolzano. Gathering of news and reviews for an international press review of the exhibition.
 

BOOKMARK FOR VISITORS TO THE EXHIBITION
 
Design and printing of a special commemorative bookmark given to visitors to the Hess retrospective in Schwaz and Bolzano. The bookmark includes information about this website and an invitation to take part in the search for the works by Hess  which were widely dispersed during the Second World War.
 

COLLECTION OF PERIOD AND CONTEMPORARY
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL
 
Research and collection of contemporay bibliographical material and from the period between the two wars referring to exhibitions of Hess’ work throughout Europe, to his works which were destroyed at the Glaspalast fire in Munich and to the dissolution of the Juryfreie Movement of which Hess was a leading member.
 

TRANSLATION OF CHRISTIAN HESS’ CORRESPONDENCE
 
Translation from German into Italian of the letters of Christian Hess carried out by the artist's niece Luisa Ardizzone. Setting up of a data base for the correspondence as part of the historical archive.