Herwig Zens Biography

Type of Story: Single person biography with related objects

Story Expert: Viola Rühse (DUK)

Story Editors: Florian Windhager

Target Group: General public with an interest in art / cultural history, visitors of upcoming Zens exhibition at Landesgalerie Niederösterreich in Krems[1].

Short Description: The story walks readers and viewers through the life of the Austrian artist and art teacher Herwig Zens (1942–2019). By doing so, the story delves into important artworks, scenes, and turning points in the life of this artist, who will be the focus of an upcoming exhibition, co-curated by art historians at University Krems (DUK).

Content Types and Visualizations:

  • Text: A story portraying Herwig Zens’ life, offering historical context and personal insights.
  • Image: Visual representations of Zens’ artworks, his life, and the historical settings in which he lived and worked.
  • Visualizations: Timeline and map visualizations enable viewers to trace significant events and milestones in Herwig Zens’ life.

Special Story Features:

How is the data generated? The data has been manually generated by Viola Rühse and is based on her prior research. The biographical data has been enriched with linked media on Zens’ artworks.

Is there anything special in the story (branch, AR, hook …)? Every slide of this story connects events in Zens’ life to his artworks and thereby demonstrates with narrative means the intricate interplay of life and work. It accompanies an exhibition on Herwig Zens at the Landesgalerie Niederösterreich, which will open on November 4, 2023.