Gerhard Richter. Landschaften

In Was die Bilder erzählen, the German essayist Dieter Wellershoff presents a tour through an imaginary museum. He introduces over 230 paintings, by some 80 artists from a range of different epochs, spanning the last 500 years.

A significant section is devoted to Gerhard Richter. In his discussion of Richter’s art, Wellershoff focuses on the artist’s versatility, which he attributes to his “experimental curiosity”, as well as to his “pluralistic world experience”.

For nearly 40 years Gerhard Richter has been examining the ways we perceive reality and the effects of different forms of representation on the viewer. 'For me,' he has said, 'there is no difference between a landscape and an abstract painting. In my view, the term 'realism' makes no sense.'

Richter began painting on photographs in 1989 as a way of joining seemingly opposing values: the tactile paint mark that is actually abstract and the illusionistic depiction of real space created by the action of light on film. This particular volume, Gerhard Richter: Florence, contains a series of small snapshots of the view outside Richter's Cologne studio as well as street scenes in Florence, which he altered by applying oil paint with a palette knife. In some images, he reinforces the intense colour of the photograph; in others, the paint nearly obliterates the scene. The artist, who originally conceived the project for a set of CDs (thus the chosen square format), overthrows normal expectations. The numerical dates that serve as titles are completely unrelated to the dates when the photographs were taken or painted. The size of the reproductions is slightly larger than the originals and the rhythmic blotting out of chunks of a view creates a miniature abstract beauty with an almost jewel-like quality based on its small size.
 

For nearly 40 years Gerhard Richter has been examining the ways we perceive reality and the effects of different forms of representation on the viewer. 'For me,' he has said, 'there is no difference between a landscape and an abstract painting. In my view, the term 'realism' makes no sense.'

Richter began painting on photographs in 1989 as a way of joining seemingly opposing values: the tactile paint mark that is actually abstract and the illusionistic depiction of real space created by the action of light on film. This particular volume, Gerhard Richter: Florence, contains a series of small snapshots of the view outside Richter's Cologne studio as well as street scenes in Florence, which he altered by applying oil paint with a palette knife. In some images, he reinforces the intense colour of the photograph; in others, the paint nearly obliterates the scene. The artist, who originally conceived the project for a set of CDs (thus the chosen square format), overthrows normal expectations. The numerical dates that serve as titles are completely unrelated to the dates when the photographs were taken or painted. The size of the reproductions is slightly larger than the originals and the rhythmic blotting out of chunks of a view creates a miniature abstract beauty with an almost jewel-like quality based on its small size.

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.
Besides an evaluation of numerous letters and material from the Gerhard Richter archive, the book includes conversations with the artist as well as several of his contemporaries. Dietmar Elger, director of the Gerhard Richter Archive, describes Richter’s daily studio routine and his creative process. Thanks to detailed background information, this book contributes to an understanding of Richter’s art in connection with his life.

This English translation of the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler by Dietmar Elger, published in 2009, was slightly revised for the Anglophone reader.

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.
Besides an evaluation of numerous letters and material from the Gerhard Richter archive, the book includes conversations with the artist as well as several of his contemporaries. Dietmar Elger, director of the Gerhard Richter Archive, describes Richter’s daily studio routine and his creative process. Thanks to detailed background information, this book contributes to an understanding of Richter’s art in connection with his life.

This edition of the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler published in 2008 was slightly revised to include details of more recent events in Richter’s life.

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.
Besides an evaluation of numerous letters and material from the Gerhard Richter archive, the book includes conversations with the artist as well as several of his contemporaries. Dietmar Elger, director of the Gerhard Richter Archive, describes Richter’s daily studio routine and his creative process. Thanks to detailed background information, this book contributes to an understanding of Richter’s art in connection with his life.