Gerhard Richter has secured an international reputation as one of the most important and successful German artists of current times. Although most famous for his paintings, over the last few years his editions have also increasingly become the focus of attention. The Olbricht Collection is probably the only private art collection in the world to contain virtually all of Gerhard Richter’s editions, spanning a period from 1965 to 2011.
The major retrospective of Richter’s oil paintings at the New National Gallery, held to coincide with his 80th birthday, presents us with a unique opportunity to unveil a parallel exhibition in Berlin that will place the spotlight on his diverse oeuvre of editions.
The editions form a vital part of Gerhard Richter’s oeuvre. In a letter to the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1998, he himself stated: ‘I saw, and still see, editions as a welcome counterpart to producing paintings, which are one-offs. Editions are a wonderful opportunity to present my work to a wider audience.’
In addition, the editions offer the artist the chance to try out and experiment with new artistic possibilities. For this reason, they cover a broad variety of media and genres, in which we see the artist applying widely different essential strategies: figuration, abstraction, monochromy, optical illusion, reflection, grids, geometric constructions, to name but a few.
The exhibition comprises some 150 works and presents Gerhard Richter’s graphic prints, photographic editions, multiples, editions in oil, artist’s books and artist’s posters. Among the works on show are popular motifs based on famous paintings, such as the photographic editions Ema (Nude on a Staircase) and Uncle Rudi, graphic editions, including Mao, Elisabeth, Betty, Canary Landscapes and Colour Fields, multiples such as Sphere and Mirror, as well as editions in oil such as Grey and Fuji .
Curator: Wolfgang Schoppmann, Hubertus Butin
We will be holding a series of experts talks, international collector discussions, readings and tours to coincide with the exhibition, as well as a children’s programme for kindergartens and schools.
Please find further images in our picture gallery.
View here some selected press reviews about “Gerhard Richter – Editions 1965-2011”.
Please view the30-min-long video of the Gerhard Richter-Website with a tour through the exhibition guided by Hubertus Butin (curator).