Professional Career and Artistic Groups

Between 1980 and 1982, Gredler was a member of the dance group Derra de Moroda in Salzburg. This period of movement preceded a decade spent working at Schrift und Reklame Wechner in Salzburg, where he remained from 1985 until 1994. He has worked as a freelance artist since 1995, participating in numerous exhibitions and art fairs across Austria and abroad.

His professional life has been marked by a commitment to collective and community-based spaces. In 1997, he founded the artistsgroup ODD. Later, in 2005, he established the projekt-gallery: halle4 in Salzburg. These efforts have helped shape the local creative landscape through both organized groups and dedicated exhibition spaces.

Artistic Style and Technique

Gredler finds his subject matter through the simple act of walking. He spends much of his time watching people in transit, looking for specific situations or scenes in the everyday flow of life. This habit of observation informs a style he describes as dramatic expressive realism, often carrying a subtle touch of humor. His work does not seek to capture a polished reality, but rather the inherent absurdity found in daily existence.

His practice follows a deliberate sequence. Before any paint touches a canvas, he works through a large number of drawings to work out the composition. This preparation leads to two primary forms of work: intimate portraits, many of which are commissioned, and large-scale figurative paintings. He views these two modes as inseparable parts of a single practice.

• Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods (about 2009)
• Salzheilige (2015)

Public Collections and Museums

The presence of Rupert Gredler’s work in various institutions reflects a reach that extends from his home in Salzburg to several international locations. In Austria, his paintings are held within the Österreichische Galerie im Belvedere and the Museum der Moderne Salzburg. Other local collections include the Salzburg Museum, the collection of the University of Salzburg, and the Joanneum Graz. His work also finds a place in the A Museum of the City of Graz, the Admont Monastery, the ÖAV Museum Innsbruck, and the Vorarlberg State Library. In Carinthia, his pieces are kept in the Collection of the City of Gmünd and the Salzburg Folklore Museum, while the Monatsschlössl Salzburg also holds his work.

Beyond the borders of Austria, his art is part of several notable collections. In Germany, his work is included in the Collection of the Berlin City Cultural Office and the Albstadt City Gallery. Moving further east, his paintings are held by the Kiscelli Museum in Budapest and The Artists Museum in Tel Aviv. In Switzerland, his work is part of the Swiss National Library. These various placements show how his visual language has been gathered by different public and private institutions across Europe and beyond.