Stefan Szczesny is a painter, born in 1951 in Munich, best known for co-founding the movement called "Neue Wilde". His art education started at a private art school located in Munich, followed by his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts.

Because of his mentor Fruhtrunk, the artist experimented during these years with abstract and minimalist art.

​

In 1976 Szczesny was in Paris on a scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service, where he discovered the paintings of Delacroix. This made him rethink abstract and minimalist art and return to figurative art. Szczesny was one of the main artists of the Neue Wilde movement. During the year 1982, he participated in different exhibitions in Cologne, such as "5 aus Köln" and "Die neue Künstlergruppe Die wilde Malerei". The journal "Malerei. Peinture. Painting" was considered an important forum for the new figurative painters of the time, which the artist edited on the mid 80s.

​

During the 90s, his work was part of many exhibitions. The artist, in the course of these years, revealed his love for the Caribbean, which is shown in his Jamaica paintings of the year 1990. Nevertheless, he was interested in other projects, like the series of portraits of personal "culture heroes" that he painted.

He moved to New York in 1994, where after two years he founded "Szczesny Factory", which allowed him to open the range of his activities by publishing books, being part of architectural projects and to collaborate with fashion labels. Through this period, he also visited the island of Mustique and created several paintings inspired by the place.