Literature

Gerhard Richter. Books is the translation of the German book Gerhard Richter. Bücher, which was first published in 2013 and exclusively addresses Gerhard Richter’s artist’s books. Starting with a brief introduction to the history of the genre, Dieter Schwarz proceeds to analyse Richter’s diverse publications, which don’t necessarily stand out with extravagant covers, but are versatile in dealing with different subjects and their presentation. The aspect of reproduction and the processing of graphical material, which plays a crucial role in Richter’s works in general, can also be found in most of his books. Schwarz adjudges Eis and Wald a special status, as they are not derived from image details like War Cut or Patterns, but consist of independent series of pictures.

In the interview with Richter, Hans Ulrich Obrist, who also collaborated with him on a number of books, discusses the artist’s books chronologically and raises detailed questions about the development and context of all of Richter’s publications. The interviewer talks to Richter about his ideals and guiding principles in painting. Obrist is mainly interested in the structure and layout of the books, which demonstrate a carefully conceived composition.

The small-format book Scheiben und Strips von Gerhard Richter comprises two essays: Gerhard Richter. Gläserne Revolte and Das Zufalls-Ornament. Malerei des Fortschritts by Benjamin H. D. Buchloh. The source of the original English texts, which are published in German for the first time, is the exhibition catalogue Gerhard Richter. Strip Paintings, 2012 by the Marian Goodman Gallery, New York.

The author contextualizes Richter’s glass constructions as well as his colour works in regards to Richter’s oeuvre as well as contemporary influences on his work. He focuses on the significance of Marcel Duchamp in relation to Richter’s works.

Numerous images in the middle part of the book illustrate the text.

As part of a comprehensive scholarly reassessment, art historian and director of the Gerhard Richter Archive Dresden Dietmar Elger published the third of five planned volumes of Gerhard Richter's Catalogue Raisonné.

It includes the work numbers 389 to 651, from the years 1976 to 1987, which Richter himself assigned to the works. In addition to numerous images, the book also includes complete technical information for all works, his handwritten assigned titles, and the provenance of all individual works. Remarks, quotations and comparative illustrations complement the exhibition details and bibliographical references.

Gerhard Richter. Bücher is the first publication that exclusively addresses Gerhard Richter’s artist’s books. Starting with a brief introduction to the history of the genre, Dieter Schwarz proceeds to analyse Richter’s diverse publications, which don’t necessarily stand out with extravagant covers, but are versatile in dealing with different subjects and their presentation. The aspect of reproduction and the processing of graphical material, which plays a crucial role in Richter’s works in general, can also be found in most of his books. Schwarz adjudges Eis and Wald a special status, as they are not derived from image details like War Cut or Patterns, but consist of independent series of pictures.

In the interview with Richter, Hans Ulrich Obrist, who also collaborated with him on a number of books, discusses the artist’s books chronologically and raises detailed questions about the development and context of all of Richter’s publications. The interviewer talks to Richter about his ideals and guiding principles in painting. Obrist is mainly interested in the structure and arrangement of the books, which demonstrate a carefully conceived composition.

As part of a comprehensive scholarly reassessment, in 2011 art historian and director of the Gerhard Richter Archive Dresden Dietmar Elger published the first of five planned volumes of Gerhard Richter's Catalogue Raisonné.

It includes the work numbers 1 to 198, from the years 1962 to 1968, which Richter himself assigned to the works. In addition to numerous images, the book also includes complete technical information for all works, his handwritten assigned titles, and the provenance of all individual works. Remarks, quotations and comparative illustrations complement the exhibition details and bibliographical references.

Gerhard Richter: Early Work, 1951–1972 is a collection of six essays, which were delivered at the symposium on the occasion of the exhibition From Caspar David Friedrich to Gerhard Richter: German Paintings from Dresden at the Getty Center, Los Angeles in 2007.

The authors focus on Richter’s early paintings, which were created during the period of the Cold War. Richter’s early artistic formation as a socialist-realist painter in the GDR is addressed as is his further artistic development after his move to West Germany.

Contributions by John J. Curley, Jeanne Anne Nugent, Eckhart J. Gillen, Christine Mehring, Stefan Gronert and Dietmar Elger.

Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s that are based on photographical source images. The paintings and photographs, which were predominantly taken from magazines and advertisements of the era, are confronted with each other; Richter’s selective process is illuminated and categorised here.

Letters, which Richter wrote to his artist friends Helmut Heinze and Wieland Förster, can also be read for the first time in this publication, along with photographs of Richter’s studio at the time, and give a strong impression of his work in this period.

The cycle October 18, 1977 completes the works from the 1960s since its creative process refers to the earlier works. A comprehensive examination of the source material that lead to these paintings of members of the terrorist group Red Army Faction has also been carried out.

Contributions by Ortrud Westheider, Uwe M. Schneede, Dietmar Elger, Hubertus Butin and Dietmar Rübel.

Gerhard Richter. Images d'une époque was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s that are based on photographical source images. The paintings and photographs, which were predominantly taken from magazines and advertisements of the era, are confronted with each other; Richter’s selective process is illuminated and categorised here.

Letters, which Richter wrote to his artist friends Helmut Heinze and Wieland Förster, can also be read for the first time in this publication, along with photographs of Richter’s studio at the time, and give a strong impression of his work in this period.

The cycle October 18, 1977 completes the works from the 1960s since its creative process refers to the earlier works. A comprehensive examination of the source material that lead to these paintings of members of the terrorist group Red Army Faction has also been carried out.

Contributions by Ortrud Westheider, Uwe M. Schneede, Dietmar Elger, Hubertus Butin and Dietmar Rübel.