translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
170308: Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus - Rupprecht Geiger - Retrospective
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus: Rupprecht Geiger – Retrospective
Object: Colour
On the occasion of Rupprecht Geiger’s 100th birthday the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus in Munich is showing a retrospective of his work ranging over the past 7 decades. The painter and architect, who still works in his studio every day, became famous for his intensive red-colour art and is one of Germany’s most impressive artists.
Geiger, whose father was suspended from work as an art professor by the Nazis, grew up in the liberal and “wild 20’s” in Munich. He became acquainted with the most important art trends of his time at an early age. During the 40’s he worked as a wartime artist in the Soviet Union and Greece. The aquarelles with their high horizons and special lighting are forerunners of his later experiments with colour. Towards the end of the 40’s he starts to create “shaped canvases”. His simultaneous development with that of the US art scene is remarkable. In 1948 Clement Greenberg publishes his prophetic article “The Crisis of the Easel Picture”, which is a farewell to the classic panel painting and postulates the “all over” of colouring.
Even if Geiger never read this article, this is exactly the way he conceived his newly acquired artistic freedom. In 1949 Geiger founded the Group ZEN 49, which was committed to abstract art and the tradition of the “Blue Rider”. In the late 60’s oval shapes shaded in red, yellow and orange dominate Geiger’s paintings. Later Geiger sprayed a mixture of acrylic and lacquer onto his works, which added a sense of aggressiveness to their beauty. The exhibit at the Lenbachhaus in Munich offers a comprehensive overview of the consequent development of Geiger’s style and can easily be seen in reference with the current Rothko-retrospective in Munich.
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus
80333 München, Luisenstrasse 33, until 30.03.08
www.lenbachhaus.de/cms
Mehr Texte von translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville
170308
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus
80333 München, Luisenstraße 33
Tel: +49 89 233 32 00 0, Fax: +49 89 233 32 00 3/4
Email: lenbachhaus@muenchen.de
http://www.lenbachhaus.de/
Öffnungszeiten: Di - So 10.00 - 18.00
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus
80333 München, Luisenstraße 33
Tel: +49 89 233 32 00 0, Fax: +49 89 233 32 00 3/4
Email: lenbachhaus@muenchen.de
http://www.lenbachhaus.de/
Öffnungszeiten: Di - So 10.00 - 18.00