The world-wide acknowledged artist Johnny Friedlaender was affected by an eventful biography. Born in Upper Silesia, he moved to Dresden as a young man, as he was persecuted by the National Socialists, he was forced to emigrate as early as in 1935. He finally found a new home in France.
After expressionist-figurative beginnings Johnny Friedlaender soon developed his own characteristic poetic style between figuration and abstraction. He was close to absolute Surrealism, which he modified in the years after the war. His preferred technique was the demanding color etching, of which the artist, who passed away in 1992, had a masterly and innovative command.
Johnny Friedlaender, since 1969 bearer of the Federal Cross of Merit, was honored in numerous international exhibitions, particularly worthwhile mentioning are the large retrospectives in Paris in 1978 and in Dresden in 1980 as well as the travelling exhibition in 1992 (Bonn, Mainz, Erfurt).