Günther Uecker Black and White in Dialogue

11:19

Günther Uecker · Bipolar – Black and White in Dialogue

In this week’s video for the Bipolar exhibition we present Günther Uecker.

Günther Uecker (*1930) is best known for his nail paintings. He either nails wood and canvases directly or creates printing blocks with nails, with the help of which he makes embossed prints on paper. The different orientation of the nails creates different light and shadow conditions, giving the works a dynamic of their own.

An important theme for the artist is the threat posed to man by man. Many of his impressive and enormous nail works – with brute titles such as Split, Broken or Mop Up – are dedicated to this theme, under the impression of catastrophes such as the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986, just like the exhibitions entitled Verletzungen - Verbindungen (Injuries – Bandages) in New York and Tehran in 2012. In the words of Günther Uecker:

Art cannot save man, but with the means of art a dialogue is possible that calls for the preserving action of man. [...] I believe in this in my work. Otherwise there is no point in it at all.

Works

Publications