HEINZ LECHNER, PHOTOGRAPHER
 
1954 Born in Schwaz, Austria
1971 Creates first reflections in Brugge (Belgium)
1975+78  Engaged as the tour photographer for the Rolling Stones
1978 Works as photographer for the Swiss firm Bildtechnik
1979-80 Studies at the "Landesberufsschule für Photographen" Hall, Austria
Bachelor of Art
1980 Begins work on series "Reflections" (ongoing), which is a main theme of his work; Photographs based on reality and illusion through reflections on glass panes
1980-82 Works as a photographer at the Art Kane Studio, New York City
1982-83 Completes graduate studies in photography at the "Hoehere Graphische Bundeslehr- und Versuchsanstalt" in Vienna (Master of Art)
1983 Works on series "Men at Work" - photographic portraits of personalities and world figures in their working environments after extensive conversations with each of his subjects. The series includes Federico Fellini, Henry Kissinger, John Paul II, Simon Wiesenthal, Muammar al Gadafi, Leonard Bernstein, Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis, among others
1984-88 Receives assignments as a professional photographer for various publications including Vogue magazine
1986-89 "Zwitterbilder", a correspondence between Photography and Painting, with Christian Ludwig Attersee
1986-88 Produces record covers for classical music artists including Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Jose Carreras, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, ...
1987-88 Collaborates as a still - photographer for films under the direction of Xaver Schwarzenberger, Karin Brandauer, Federico Fellini among others
1988 Completes first works in the series of "Nude Reflections " (ongoing)
1989 Writes and teaches "Mini-Klick," an eight-part photography class for children aired on Austrian and German Television
Austrian Television produces "Schattenzucht," a 30 minute documentary on the artist aired in Austria, Switzerland and Italy
Begins series of "Portait Überarbeitungen", portraits are photo-collaged and overworked after interviews with his models and contemplation of their musical selections
1990-95 Several "Portrait Überarbeitungen" completed including those of Richard Serra, Miles Davis, John Mayall, Don Cherry, Viktor Frankl, Carla Bley, Simon Wiesenthal, Volker Schloendorff, Federico Fellini, Michael Jackson, Niki Lauda, Bob Geldof, Joe Zawinul, Queen Elizabeth of Windsor, the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, Betty Williams, Rigoberta Menchu, Cecil Taylor, Allen Ginsberg, Olivia Schwarz, Billy Wilder, Ornette Coleman and Georg Trakl
1992-95 "Architektur Überarbeitungen" of Coop Himmelblau's "The Object", Vito Acconci's "New MAK" and Wolfgang Riehle's "Dominohaus". The buildings were photographed and overworked with the architect's favorite music
1993 Construction for the Land Art Project "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" in Austria is initiated
1994 "Portrait Überdrucke" are created: several portraits overworkings are artistically layered on top of each other and printed as a single work
1995 "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" is open to the public - documentary film of project is produced by and shown on German television
1995-2004   "Portrait Variationen" smaller photographic prints of original "Portrait Überarbeitungen" which are enhanced with a scratching technique
1997 Beginning of "Triptychs" (ongoing), named after Heinz Lechners favorite musicians (not shown in these pictures), each comprising of three interrelated reflections
2001 Series "Dalai Lama" comprising of scratches on prints on photographic paper
2002 Series "Americans" (ongoing) portraits of persons reflecting in glass panes
2006 Directs and co-produces the movie "In the blink of an eye, in the beat of a heart" filmed exclusively from reflections
2008 "Buru - Wochen" photographs containing strong political context about the administration of Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Cheney
2008 - 13 "S. P." (Self Portraits) were created in Schwaz, Innsbruck, Hamburg, Arizona, Sarasota and New York
2008 - 13 "Assoziationslust", a correspondence between photography and painting, consisting of triptychs with Anton Christian
2010 Begins work on series "Sequences"
Begins work on series "New York Reflections"
2011 Begins work on series "Arizona Reflections"
2012 Begins work on series "Diptychs", each one comprising of two interrelated reflections
2014 Series "Diptychs" (ongoing), named after Heinz Lechner's favorite music groups of his youth, each comprising of two interrelated reflections
2014 Series "Not my Heroes", comprising of photographs dedicated to political leaders is finished after five years
2016 Series "Diptychs" is completed