Gottfried Helnwein is an Austrian born Austrian-Irish fine artist, painter, photographer, installation and performance artist. Helnwein studied at the University of Visual Art in Vienna. He was awarded the Master-class prize of the University of Visual Art, Vienna, the Kardinal-K�nig prize and the Theodor-K�rner prize. He has worked as a painter, draftsman, photographer, muralist, sculptor, installation and performance artist, using a wide variety of techniques and media. His early work consists mainly of hyper-realistic watercolors, depicting wounded and mistreated children, as well as performances ? often with children ? in public spaces. The human condition as his subject matter has emerged and stayed consistent throughout his career. The metaphor for his art, although it included self-portraits, is dominated by the image of the wounded child, scarred physically and emotionally . Helnwein is concerned primarily with psychological and sociological anxiety, historical issues and political topics. As a result of this, his work is often considered provocative and controversial. 

October 8th, 1948 in Vienna (Age 76)