Stefan Graf

 

Former Diplomat in the German Foreign Service for more than four decades, Stefan Graf held different positions in the German missions in Algeria, Libya, USA, Syria, India, Gabon with Sao Tomé and Principe and finally Istanbul.

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He discovered his passion for art when he started studying the violin at early age.
His father bought him an old violin which he still plays today. He started with music and musical education in his childhood, continued with photography and painting until today.

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The style of his works reflects a systematic and regular color transition. Inspired by the unique and universal forms of the Bauhaus with its original geometric right-angled forms and details emphasizing simplicity and standardization, the artist with his own German cultural background instinctively integrates these attributes in his works.

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In his art works childhood memories, experiences of his professional life and dreams join with colors. The different cultures and changing environments he interacted with and lived in with – reflected in his paintings - had a significant impact on the way he balances and leads the different colors, textures and materials in his works to harmony. The way he strived for the right balance with different cultures throughout his professional life he now tries to reach the same harmony with different colors in his paintings.

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“Art is the unifying universal language uniting individuals, societies and cultures.”

 

Stefan Graf was born in Bonn/Germany. Currently he is living and working in Istanbul.