Wolfgang Denk Obituary, Death – We wish to convey our deepest condolences to Wolfgang Denk’s family and friends as we inform you of his passing on April 7th, 2023 at the age of 75. Since 1985, Wolfgang Denk has played an important role in the organization and curation of all of the major exhibits that Susanne Wenger has held. Over the course of several decades, he made numerous trips to Osogbo, frequently accompanied by his wife Martha. As a result, he and his wife not only became close friends with her but also an essential member of her extended family.
Since Wolfgang was also a successful artist, he and Susanne shared a profound understanding of one another as well as a kinship. Whenever Susanne or any of her adopted children (High Priestess Adedoyin Talabi Faniyi and High Priest Sangodare Gbadeghesin Ajala) traveled to Austria, they would stay with Martha and Wolfgang, sometimes for weeks or even months at a time. Until Wolfgang and Susanne Wenger created the Susanne Wenger Foundation in 1995, they were the guardians of Susanne Wenger’s “portable” artworks in Austria. These included oil paintings, graphics, and batiks.
Susanne Wenger passed away in 2009, and the foundation was re-established in 2011. A university town on the banks of the Danube, Krems has developed into one of the most important cultural centers in Austria thanks in large part to the efforts of Wolfgang Denk, who was also the primary impetus behind the establishment of the Susanne Wenger Archive and Museum there. Having been the founding director of the adjacent Kunsthalle Krems (from 1991 to 1997), he has the knowledge and contacts to provide the necessary financial backing from various government agencies not just for the initial development but also for the annual operating costs. This backing was required not only for the initial creation but also for the costs of maintaining the facility.