APPOART

“Chance determines our lives in important ways”

In the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary art, one name stands out as a true visionary: Gerhard Richter. This German master has spent over six decades creating a body of work that is as diverse as it is influential, seamlessly blending painting, photography, and printmaking to push the boundaries of what is possible with the medium.
Born in 1932 in Dresden, Richter’s early life was shaped by the tumultuous events of World War II and the subsequent division of Germany.

Artistic style:

Photorealistic blurring: Richter developed a signature technique of blurring his painted images, distancing the viewer from the subject and casting doubt on painting’s ability to document reality like photography.

Use of the squeegee: In his abstract paintings, Richter employed a large squeegee to apply and spread paint across the canvas, creating mechanical, photographic-like effects.

Layering and scraping: Richter built up his paintings through multiple layers of paint, which he would then blend, smear, and scrape to introduce spontaneity and expression.

Embrace of abstraction: Later in his career, Richter produced a prolific body of entirely abstract paintings, exploring color, light, and the materiality of paint itself.

His work is characterized by a constant negotiation between realism and abstraction, photography and painting, control and chance – reflecting his skepticism towards definitive artistic and philosophical positions.

Most important works:

Abstract Painting: This was one of Richter’s first major abstract paintings, marking a shift away from his earlier photorealistic style. The cool, blurred tones of purple, blue, and violet create a sense of atmospheric depth and movement, exemplifying Richter’s interest in the relationship between representation and abstraction.

Stadtbild SA (219/1) (1969): Part of Richter’s “Stadtbilder” (City Paintings) series, this work depicts an aerial view of a city, referencing the perspective of bombers during World War II. It reflects Richter’s exploration of the blurred boundaries between reality and its representation through images.

Clouds (1982): This abstract painting demonstrates Richter’s ability to seamlessly shift between realist and abstract styles, even within a single work. The bold, expressive brushstrokes and layering of paint create a sense of visual pleasure and challenge the viewer’s desire to extract meaning.

Seascape (1998): Inspired by Romantic painters like Caspar David Friedrich, Richter’s Seascape series blends photography and painting to explore the conceptual relationship between the two mediums. The thin application of paint creates a flat, photographic-like surface.

Baader-Meinhof Cycle (1988): This controversial series of paintings depicts members of the West German left-wing terrorist group, the Baader-Meinhof Gang. It represents one of Richter’s most politically charged bodies of work, addressing complex issues of violence, ideology, and the role of images.

Exhibitions:

“Future in the Work of Gerhard Richter and Sean Scully” (2024)
This exhibition will bring together paintings and works on paper by Richter and Sean Scully, curated by Joachim Pissarro. It will be held at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center and Ben Brown Fine Arts in Hong Kong from March to June 2024, coinciding with Art Basel Hong Kong.

“Gerhard Richter: 100 Works for Berlin” (2023-2026)
Opening in April 2023 at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, this long-term exhibition features Richter’s four-part abstract painting series “Birkenau” (2014) as the central work. It also includes other key paintings from various phases of his career, as well as a large group of his overpainted photographs. The presentation was developed in close collaboration with the artist.

These upcoming exhibitions demonstrate Richter’s continued importance and influence, with major institutions and galleries worldwide showcasing his groundbreaking abstract paintings, drawings, and photographic works. The exhibitions will provide new contexts for understanding Richter’s innovative and multifaceted practice.