About the artist
Curriculum Vitae / Resume
1984
Born 19th july to an ancient family of natural offspring and carniolian origin (former Austria, todays Slovenia) with global descendants, who's main line died out during the epoche of Rokoko. Son of the academic painter Helmuth Gräff and Martina Maria Gräff, highschool-professor of arts. The family live at several places in Austria
1987
At the age of three young Matthias had already developed his love for art and drawing. Beginning at the age of three he stayd at his fathers studio. In the studio of his father he had been drawing thousends of artworks
2001
Study at private Collage New Design Centre, St. Pölten / Lower Austria (diretor/dean Mag, Barry John Hewson)
Summeracademy Geras / Lower Austria by Prof. Bernhard Holleamnn (until 2004) and Prof. Arthur Redhead (2002-2004)
2002
Between 2002 and 2008 he studied art at the University of Applied Arts Vienna of Wolfgang Herzigs masterclass of painting
2010
During the 64th yearly fair of St. Pöltens Künstlerbund (Art union) Gräff received the "Adolf Peschek Preis" (Adolf Peschek Public Award) in the Museum of the City of St. Pölten
2012
Gräff created the vine etiquette of Red Cross in Lower Austria.
Presentation with Gräff (2nd left) Wolfgang Sobotka, president of the austrian Parliament (3rd left) , Willi Sauer, president of the Red Cross Lower Austria (2nd right)
2013
Together with Georgia Kazantzidu Gräff organized in his hometown Gars am Kamp the concert of the famous Mojo Blues Band
2014
Gräff received from mayor's bureau the contract to create the vine etiquettes "Garser Wein 2014". A local businessman boycott the publishing of the etiquettes about the illustration of a half naked woman, and this led to a little media scandal (LINK)
Organisation of a worldwide Graeff-Family Reunion meeting on the occasion of "530 years Graeff" at the former Von Graben castles of Kornberg and Riegersburg and Graz in Austria
"100 years Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Duchess Sophie of Hohenberg in Sarajewo" at Schloss Artstetten. Gräff, Princess Anita Hohenberg (great-granddaughter of Franz Ferdinand of Austria) and Georgia Kazantzidu (LINK)
At the residence of the Greek Ambassadress in Vienna. The Greek Ambassadress in Vienna, Chryssoula Aliferi, Gräff and Georgia Kazantzidu with the painting "Achilleion auf Korfu"
2015
Gräff and Georgia Kazantzidu, together with the Greek Ambassadress of Austria, Chryssoula Aliferi, and other members of the greek-austrian community, welcome the Greek Eurovision Song Contest Singer Maria Kyriakou in the Greek Embassy in Vienna (LINK)
Artist meeting with Nick Simper, founding member of Deep Purple, in Vienna (LINK)
2016
In 2016 Gräff received from mayor's bureau the contract to create the vine etiquettes "Garser Wein 2016" (10 years Garser Wein) (LINK)
Benefit-Exebition in favor of Polyneuropathie at WUK, Vienna. Opening by Werner Groiß, member of the Austrian Parliament and Bernhard Görg, former Vice-Major and Vice-Governor of Vienna and Werner Groiß, member of the Austrian parliament (LINK)
since 2017 / 2018
Gräffs political and social critiqual paintings become published by national and international books, magacines and blogs (LINK)
2018
"Deep Purple - Art and History - The exhibition". Celebrating 50 years of Deep Purple, Kunsthalle Köln-Lindenthal (Cologne, Germany)
Group exhibition with Roger Glover, bass player of Deep Purple (LINK)
My drawing of the band served as an invitation to the exhibition during Deep Purples European tour (LINK)
Interwiew on the greek POETS Radio by Mrs Irene Gavala (former general manager of the greek broadcast ERT World) (LINK)
2019
Invitation from Mr Stefan Egger, Federal Managing Director of the Austrian political party NEOS in Vienna. Themes where:
* Europe discussion at Gräffs studio
* A special art project between Gräff and NEOS, "United States of Europe"
"Europe Dialogue in Kamptal" at the studio Gräff with Ambassador Dr Wolfgang Petrisch, Mr Douglas Hoyos-Trauttmansdorff, member of the Austrian parliament etc (LINK)