Bio
Jörg Madlener (born September 8, 1939, in Düsseldorf, Germany) is a German-born painter, engraver, and stage designer who has strong ties to Belgium.
He first studied architecture in Darmstadt and later continued his artistic education at the Städelschule in Frankfurt. During this time, he attended lectures by influential philosophers such as Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. In 1963, he became a private student of Otto Dix, who significantly shaped his artistic technique.
In 1964, he moved to Belgium, where he studied at the Royal Institute of Fine Arts in Antwerp. His first solo exhibition took place in Brussels in 1965.
Madlener’s work often revolves around major thematic cycles inspired by literature and music, including figures like Gustav Mahler and Thomas Mann. His works are held in major international collections such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Albertina in Vienna.
In addition to painting, he has worked extensively as a stage and set designer for theatre and opera productions across Europe and the United States.