Sayart.net - Gerhard Richter′s Fascination with Glass

▲ Gerhard Richter, 4 stehende Scheiben (4 Standing Panes), 2002. Collection of Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau München. Photo by Simone Gänsheimer

Gerhard Richter, a renowned artist, was born in Dresden, Germany, and received his art education from the Dresden Hochschule für Bildende Künste from 1951 to 1956. He later fled Germany in 1961 and continued his studies at the Staatliche Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. Today, his artworks are held in significant public and private collections worldwide, and he resides in Cologne.

Throughout his career, Richter has maintained an extensive and analytical interest in glass. His standalone glass works serve as a direct reflection on painting and image-making. They respond to the art-historical notion of the painting as both a mirror and a window while also providing a compelling counterpart to the blurred effect of Richter's photo paintings, which he began experimenting with in the 1960s. 

▲ Gerhard Richter, 4 stehende Scheiben (4 Standing Panes), 2002. Collection of Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau München. Photo by Simone Gänsheimer

Richter's fascination with glass began over fifty years ago with his groundbreaking 1967 installation, 4 Glasscheiben (4 Panes of Glass). The installation was conceived as a response to Marcel Duchamp's The Large Glass (1915–1923). As Richter reminisced years later, "I think something in Duchamp didn't suit me—all that mystery-mongering—and that's why I painted those simple glass panes and showed the whole windowpane problem in a completely different light."

In summary, Gerhard Richter's fascination with glass has been a significant aspect of his artistic journey. His glass works provide an innovative and refreshing approach to the painting as a mirror and window while also offering a unique perspective on the blurred effect present in his photo paintings.Sayart.net
Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com