Hubertus ButinGerhard Richter – Unikate in Serie/ Unique Pieces in Series

At first glance the formulation “unique pieces in series“ appears self-contradictory. For how can something that is supposed to exist only once be present several times over? Yet some of Gerhard Richter’s editioned works embody this particular principle of uniqueness in series. In painting editions, photographic works, prints, drawings and multiples, Richter has developed the possibility of varying the appearance of individual examples within one and the same mode of production. The entire run of an edition thus consists of unique variants whose differences are intended. Probably no other artist has made this formal concept a fundamental method of his art in such a fascinatingly diverse way. The book will be published on 7 April 2017 on the occasion of the exhibition “Gerhard Richter. Die Editionen” at the Museum Folkwang in Essen.

Exhibition:
“Gerhard Richter. Die Editionen”, Museum Folkwang Essen, 7/4 – 30/7/2017