Helmut Reinisch (born 1953 in Graz) is an Austrian gallery owner and collector of contemporary art as well as an author and expert in the field of old and antique carpets and textiles. He is founder of Reinisch Contemporary, an art gallery in Graz.
Life and work
Helmut Reinisch opened a gallery for antique oriental carpets on the main square of Graz, Austria, in 1979. From 1985 onwards, he focused increasingly on objects of nomad origin. Since 1983, he has been an author and publisher in the field of oriental and nomadic carpets.
From 1982 onwards, Helmut Reinisch also began exhibiting visual art, including works by, among others, Thomas Ruff, Franz West, Hubert Schmalix, Herbert Brandl and Erwin Wurm.
In 1994, he took over Kalsdorf Castle near Ilz from the Province of Styria. He revitalised the derelict structure and converted it into a site of cultural events, specialising in contemporary art and authentic nomadic carpets. In 2003, he acquired the world’s biggest carpet directory from the chemist and collector Gerhard Kebisch and in 2007 the Gabbeh collection of the Swiss collector Georges De Bornet.
On February 12, 2012, Helmut Reinisch opened the art gallery Reinisch Contemporary on the city square of Graz. The core subjects of the gallery are contemporary art and works of authentic nomadic origin from Morocco, Anatolia, Persia, the Caucasus and Tibet.
As publisher: From Bagdad to Stambul. Graz 1983, OCLC 11657643.
As publisher: Saddle Bags. Verlag für Sammler, Graz 1985, ISBN 3-85365-060-0.
With Georges D. Bornet and Parviz Tanavoli: Gabbeh, The Georges D. Bornet Collection. Publication for the exhibition of the same name at the Grazer Künstlerhaus. Graz 1986, OCLC 163482220.
With Wilfried Stanzer: Berber, Tribal Carpets und Textiles from the Kingdom of Morocco. In-house, Graz 1991, ISBN 3-9500132-0-2.
With Gerhard M. Dienes (publisher): 2000 und 1ne Night, Carpets und Textiles from private collections. Publication for the exhibition of the same name at Stadtmuseum Graz. Graz 2001, ISBN 3-900764-26-3.
1978
Knottet pictures, Kulturhaus of Graz
1982
Prayer Rugs and Meditation Stones - Karl Prantl (Steirischer Herbst)
1986
Gabbeh, The Georges D. Bornet Collection, Künstlerhaus Graz, Neue Galerie Wien
Ancient Rugs, Künstlerhaus Wien
1987
The Secret of the Anatolian Tülü – Erwin Wurm and sculptures
1989
Black Pictures - Herbert Brandl und carpet miniatures
1993
Form + Farbe - Josef Sulek
Images – Carpet Images - The Best - Thomas Ruff
2001
2000 and 1 Night - Rugs and textiles from private collections, Stadtmuseum Graz
2002
Die Colours White - Erwin Bohatsch, Herbert Brandl, Tobias Pils, Hartmut Skerbisch, Franz West
Trypticha - Max Boehme, Martin Kitzler, Anton Petz, Hubert Schmalix, Thomas Stimm, Otto Zitko
New Works – Hubert Schmalix (Kalsdorf Castle)
2003
Herbert Brandl at Kalsdorf Castle
2004
Please Do Not Feed - Josef Sulek (Kalsdorf Castle)
2005
Nature & Carpets, Sculpture & Carpets - Thomas Stimm (Kalsdorf Castle)
2006
Sphere - Hartmut Skerbisch (Kalsdorf Castle)
2007
Sculptures - Manfred Erjautz, Michael Kienzer, Hartmut Skerbisch, Thomas Stimm, Uta Weber, Erwin Wurm (Kalsdorf Castle)
Painting - Erwin Bohatsch, Herbert Brandl, Michael Kienzer, Hubert Schmalix (Kalsdorf Castle)
2008
Please Do Not Feed II - Josef Sulek (Kalsdorf Castle)
2010
WEBCAM - Max Boehme, Josef Beuys, Günter Brus, Clegg & Gutmann, Manfred Erjautz, Seiichi Furuya, Christian Gasser, Andreas Heller, Meinrad Hofer, Christian Jungwirth, Christian KRI Kammerhofer, Inez van Lamsweerde, Claudia Lindner, Dirk Meinzer, Rudi Molacek, Inge Morath, Karl Neubacher, Arnulf Rainer, Thomas Ruff, Claus Schöner, Maria Serebriakova, Franz West, Amelie Wulffen, Erwin Wurm (Kalsdorf Castle)
Sunday Evening - Hubert Schmalix (Schloss Kalsdorf)
RED - Franz West, Herbert Brandl, Erwin Wurm, Hubert Schmalix, G.R.A.M., Erwin Bohatsch, Christian KRI Kammerhofer, Josef Sulek, Anton Petz, Jakob Gasteiger, Michael Kienzer, Rudi Molacek, Hermann Nitsch, Werner Reiterer, Thomas Stimm (Kalsdorf Castle)
2012 at Reinisch Contemporary/Graz
Winterjourney – Hubert Schmalix
Flatland – Stefan Osterider
The Image on the Wall – Nomadic carpets from Morocco, Anatolia, the Caucasus und Persia
Happysulmtaltotalzerstorung2012 (Happysulmvalleytotaldestruction2012)– Herbert Brandl
Second Nature – Martin Roth
Windphall – Thomas Stimm, Anton Petz, Christian KRI Kammerhofer, Josef Sulek
Colorophil – Nomadenteppiche aus Marokko
The Diversity of Bare Essentials – Erwin Bohatsch
Contemporary Still Life – Herbert Brandl, Hubert Schmalix, Gerwald Rockenschaub, Erwin Bohatsch, Tjalf Sparnaay, Fritz Panzer, Christian KRI Kammerhofer, Robert van der Hilst, Magriet Smulders, Seichii Furuya, Rudi Molacek, Maria Serebiakova
Colour Rain at the Bamboo Grove – Hubert Schmalix
2013 at Reinisch Contemporary/Graz
Reflexions – Hans Kuplwieser
Fabrizius2 - Irina and Marina Fabrizius
Alb - Alois Mosbacher
Friends and Lovers in Underground (Kalsdorf Castle)
Wunderweltplan - Alfred Klinken
Franz Yang-Mocnik und Beni Ourain - Drawings, Paintings, Carpets
Powers and Crowds - Anton Petz
2014 at Reinisch Contemporary/Graz
Visible Painting, Tactile Sculpture – Kilims from Morocco
Dazzling Array - Eva Schlegel, Martin Kippenberger, Franz West, Herbert Brandl, Irina and Marina Fabrizius, Dirk Meinzer, Erwin Wurm, Edelgard Gerngross, Clemens Hollerer, Martin Roth, Christian Gasser, Othmar Krenn
