SEOUL, June 13 (SayArt)- At the iconic Art Basel fair taking place at Messe Basel in Switzerland, David Zwirner Gallery presents the debut of STRIP-TOWER (2023), a groundbreaking new installation by the acclaimed German artist, Gerhard Richter. Towering over viewers at more than three meters in height, the multi-panel structure merges various aspects of Richter's extended exploration into the essence of visual representation. 

 

Built from eight glossy, perpendicular panels, the installation cleverly reflects its surroundings, erasing the boundary between the installation and the external environment. This artful manipulation of perspective is a hallmark of Richter's work, extending back to his experiments with glass and mirrored surfaces in large-scale sculptures since the 1960s.

Throughout his prolific career, Richter has utilized the reflective qualities of these materials to delve into the symbiotic relationship between installation art and architectural space. His freestanding glass installations—beginning in 2002 and assembled from upright, transparent panes—position the medium of glass as a contemplative reflection on painting and the process of image-making, instead of merely serving as pure sculptural form.

▲ Gerhard Richter, STRIP-TOWER, 2023 Digital print on paper between Alu-Dibond and Perspex (Diasec), eight (8) panels, 137 3/4 x 63 3/4 x 63 3/4 inches (350 x 162 x 162 cm), Photographer: Georgios Michaloudis, farbanalyse, Cologne, Courtesy of David Zwirner Gallery.With STRIP-TOWER, Richter innovatively merges the physical structure of his freestanding installations with the aesthetic approach of his Strip series (2011–2016). These abstract, digitally-derived paintings are now reimagined in a three-dimensional context, further expanding Richter's experimental and analytical take on the medium of paint. This innovative cross-over between painting and installation underscores the artist's relentless commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual representation and medium-specificity.

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