A.R Penck

La retrospettiva che Cardi Black Box dedica al grande artista tedesco vuole documentare quella parte fondamentale della produzione artistica di A. R. Penck che va dalla fine degli anni Settanta sino ai lavori più recenti, con gruppi pittorici e scultorei riconducibili alle varie fasi della sua ricerca artistica.

Comunicato stampa

Cardi Black Box è lieta di annunciare la ripresa della nuova stagione espositiva con un’importante retrospettiva dedicata a uno tra i maggiori esponenti del neo-espressionismo tedesco, A.R Penck (Dresda, 1939). La mostra, che sarà inaugurata il 6 settembre, resterà aperta al pubblico da venerdì 7 settembre a fine novembre 2012.

La retrospettiva che Cardi Black Box dedica al grande artista tedesco vuole documentare quella parte fondamentale della produzione artistica di A. R. Penck che va dalla fine degli anni Settanta sino ai lavori più recenti, con gruppi pittorici e scultorei riconducibili alle varie fasi della sua ricerca artistica.
In mostra saranno presentate circa 40 opere, tra dipinti di grande formato e sculture, dove sono rintracciabili i motivi e i temi centrali della sua estetica. L’esposizione offre l’occasione per conoscere meglio il lavoro scultoreo di Penck, a tutt’oggi ancora meno noto al grande pubblico per il minor numero di esposizioni incentrate su questa parte della sua produzione.

A.R. Penck, pseudonimo di Ralf Winkler, nasce nel 1939 nell’allora Germania dell’Est; avversato dal regime comunista perché ritenuto elemento sovversivo, gli viene negata l’ammissione all’Accademia di Belle Arti.
La sua formazione si svolge dunque da autodidatta e si orienta verso disparati campi, dalla pittura alla filosofia, dalle scienze alla storia delle religioni sino alla musica. Un background ricco che confluirà nelle diverse fasi della sua eterogenea produzione artistica, che spazia dalla pittura alla grafica fino a sperimentazioni negli ambiti della musica jazz, della poesia e della cinematografia.

A.R. Penck è riconosciuto come uno degli artisti che hanno maggiormente contribuito al rinnovamento della pittura in Germania. Sin dagli esordi della sua attività pittorica, l’artista si allontana dalla pittura tradizionale per seguire un percorso autonomo, sviluppando nell’ambito neo-espressionista uno stile personale che combina figurazione e astrazione mediante un tratto marcatamente infantile e un cromatismo intenso.

Traendo ispirazione dalla pittura preistorica, le sue composizioni combinano segni pittorici e immagini arcaicizzanti, che insieme compongono un lessico universale - comprensibile e utilizzabile da tutti - e un mondo visivo inediti che hanno spesso come tema centrale il rapporto tra individuo e società.

Negli anni ‘70 i segni si fanno sempre più primordiali, compaiono figure stilizzate e simboli elementari e l’artista giunge quasi a un azzeramento della ricchezza cromatica a favore dell’uso del bianco e nero.
Dalla fine degli anni Settanta Penck si dedica anche alla scultura, per la quale predilige materiali come il marmo, il bronzo e il legno. Il suo trasferimento nella Germania dell’Ovest nel 1980, segna un cambiamento verso il recupero di una decisa accentuazione cromatica e l’introduzione della tridimensionalità.

Con questa mostra Cardi Black Box ribadisce l'orientamento eclettico e versatile della galleria, che sa guardare ai giovani come ai grandi maestri, al contemporaneo come allo storicizzato. Orientamento programmaticamente rimarcato per la prima volta con l'esposizione di un altro grande artista tedesco, Jörg Immendorff, al quale la Galleria dedicò nel 2010 la personale intitolata ‘Late Paintings’.

Come di consueto l’inaugurazione è accompagnata da un cocktail Grey Goose,la luxury vodka rinomata per la sua eccellenza qualitativa e partner della Galleria Cardi Black Box.

A. R. Penck

1939
Born Ralf Winkler on October 5th in Dresden
1945
Sees the burning of Dresden as a little boy
1953-54
Studies painting and drawing with Jürgen Böttcher
1955
Begins an apprenticeship as a draftsman at VEB DEWAG (Volkseigener Detreib Deutsche Werbeagentur)
1956
Unsuccessfully applies to multiple art academies in Dresden and East Berlin. As a self-taught artist he begins to work on painting, sculpture, film writing and music.
1957
Starts making figurative sculptures and head studies out of plaster Begins friendship with Georg Kern (Baselitz)
1961
Creation of the first “System-Bilder”
1964
Moves into his own studio on Lange Strasse in Dresden Concentrates on working with cybernetics and system pictures Produces his first “Standart-Arbeiten”
1965
Takes part in an exhibition at the Pushkin House in Dresden Begins friendship with Michael Werner
1966
Accepted as a candidate for the East German Association of Creative Artists (Verband Bildender Künstler Deutschlands), and is subsequently rejected by the jury due to expiration of three deadlines for candidates
1967-70
Begins working on signaling, sketching and symbols
1968
Adopts the pseudonym A.R. Penck
Michael Werner organizes his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Hake, Cologne
1969
First exhibition at Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1970-71
Creates various publications in which the term “Standart” is described First solo museum exhibition at Museum Haus Lange in Krefeld
1972
Finishes “Standart-Arbeiten”
1973-74
Spends six months training as a reserve for the People's Army in the former German Democratic Republic Begins the Mike Hammer series which then leads to the development of the TM series
1975-76
First major retrospective at the Bern Kunsthalle
Awarded the Will Grohmann Prize of the Academy of Arts in West Berlin
1977
Creates first wooden sculptures Meets Jörg Immendorff in East Berlin
1979
Releases the first recording of “Gostritzer 92”
1980
Emigrates from East to West Berlin
Begins friendship with Markus Lüpertz and Per Kirkeby
Visits Joseph Beuys
1981
Awarded the Rembrandt Prize by the Goethe Foundation in Basel
1982
Starts working with iron and bronze
Publishes “Krater und Wolke,” which is edited by A.R. Penck and dedicated to Georg Baselitz
1983
Extended visit to Israel. Settles in London and later in Dublin
1984
Participates in the 41st Venice Biennale with Lothar Baumgarten Joins work on the production of numerous free jazz recordings
1984-85
Creates various miniature sculptures in bronze
1985
Awarded the Artist's Prize by the city of Aachen
1986
First Carrara marble sculptures appear
1987
Receives the NORD/LB prize for art
1989
Becomes a professor at the Academy of Art, Düsseldorf
1997-98
Extensive traveling exhibition throughout Japan
2007-08
Retrospective exhibition at Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
1968
Deutsche Avantgarde 3: A.R. Penck, Bilder, Galerie Hake, Cologne
1970
A.R. Penck: Erstes Training mit Standart, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1971
Galerie Heiner Friedrich, Munich
A.R. Penck, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
Zeichen als Verständigung (Sign as Communication): A.R. Penck, Museum Haus Lange, Krefeld
1972
documenta V
A.R. Penck: Training mit Standart, Galerie im Goethe-Institute/Provisorium, Amsterdam Galerie Stampa, Basel
Wide White Space, Antwerp
1973
A.R. Penck: Installation - Paintings, Films, Books, Sound tapes, and photographic documentation, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, Halifax
A.R. Penck, L’Uomo e l’Arte, Milan
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich
Wide White Space, Antwerp
1975
A.R. Penck, Kunsthalle Bern
A.R. Penck, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
1977 documenta VI
1978
A.R. Penck. Y. Zeichnungen bis 1975 (Y. Drawings until 1975), Kunstmuseum Basel; Mannheimer Kunstverein, Haus des Kunstvereins, Mannheim
Bündner Kunstmuseum, Chur
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
1979
A.R. Penck: Concept of Conceptual Space, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam
1980
A.R. Penck. Zeichnungen und Aquarelle (Drawings and Watercolors), Städtisches Museum Leverkusen, Schloss Morsbroich, Leverkusen
1981
A.R. Penck, Kunstmuseum Basel
A.R. Penck: Gemälde und Handzeichnungen, Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Cologne a.Y (A.R. Penck) T. Standart-West, Kunsthalle Bern
A.R. Penck: Paintings, Sonnabend Gallery, New York
1982
documenta 7
A.R. Penck, Galerie Lucio Amelio, Naples
A.R. Penck. 45 Zeichnungen. Bewußtseinsschichten, Kunstmuseum Bonn
1983
Galeria Lucio Amelio, Naples
1984
Venice Biennale
Galerie Watari, Tokyo
Studio d’Arte Cannaviello, Milan
A.R. Penck: Paintings and Drawings 1980-1982, Maeght Lelong, Zurich Waddington Galeries, London
Ulrike Kantor Gallery, Los Angeles
The Poetry of Vision, The Guinness Hop Store, Dublin
A.R. Penck: Recent Paintings, Akira Ikeda Gallery, Tokyo
1985
A.R. Penck: Mike Hammer Konsequenzen, Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach
1987
A.R. Penck. The Northern Darkness: Recent Sculpture / New Painting, Orchard Gallery, Londonderry
A.R. Penck: Zeichnungen und Druckgraphische Werke im Basler Kupferstichkabinett, Städtisches Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach
A.R. Penck in Cambridge, Kettie’s Yard Gallery, Cambridge
A.R. Penck: Was einem Emigranten durch den Kopf geht, Galerie Springer Berlin A.R. Penck, Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven
1988
A.R. Penck, Nationalgalerie, Berlin
Staatliche Museen, Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
A.R. Penck: Sculpture and Drawing, Kestner-Gesellschaft, Hannover Tekeningen: A.R. Penck, Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague
1989
A.R. Penck, Mary Boone Gallery, New York
A.R. Penck: A Survey of Prints, Stuart Gerstman Galleries, Richmond A.R. Penck, Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, Stockholm
1990
A.R. Penck: Sculptures and Drawings, Bielefelder Kunstverein e.V., Bielefeld A.R. Penck: Opere Recenti, Gallery in Arco, Turin
Eugene Binder Gallery, Dallas
1991
Krater und Wolke (Crater and Cloud) – an art magazine edited by A.R. Penck, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
A.R. Penck: Drawings, Paintings, Sculptures and Ceramics from the Visser Collections, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam
A.R. Penck, Galerie Laage-Salomon, Paris
The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin
1992
documenta 9
A.R. Penck: Lithographien, Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
A.R. Penck in Dresden: Analysis of a Situation, Gemäldegalerie Neue Meister im Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
A.R. Penck: Standart-Modelle, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
1993
A.R. Penck: Grossskulptur, Deutsche Bank, Luxembourg
1995
Couplet 4. A.R. Penck – Sculptures, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam A.R. Penck, Galleryism, Seoul
A.R. Penck: Drawings, Paintings, Sculptures – 1962-1990, Museum Het Domein, Sittard
A.R. Penck: Zeichnungen der Jahre 1965-1978. Sammlung Ludwig, Aachen, Städtisches Museum in der alten Post, Mühlheim an der Ruhr
1996
A.R. Penck, Galerie Fernando Santos, Porto
A.R. Penck, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City
A.R. Penck, La mort du temps, Galerie Jérome de Noirmont, Paris
1997-98
A.R. Penck: German Darkness and Contemporary Symbol, Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo; Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima; The Museum of Art, Kochi
1999
A.R. Penck. Erinnerung, Modell, Denkmal. Bronzeskulpturen 1984-1998, Städtische Museen Heilbronn, Heilbronn Gerhard Marcks Haus, Bremen
A.R. Penck. Bronzeskulpturen, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
Kunsthalle Recklinghausen
Ralf Winkler, die frühen Jahre in Dresden, 1956-1963, Galerie Hieronymus, Dresden
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Luxembourg
A.R. Penck. Dogma and Dialektik, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
2000
Georg-Kolbe-Museum, Berlin
Foundation for Sculpture, Berlin
Ecke Galerie, Augsburg
Sinclair-Haus, Bad Homburg
Galerie Weihergut, Salzburg
Cultural Centre of the English Church, Bad Homburg
Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden
Galerie Schröder+Dörr, Bergisch-Gladbach
A.R. Penck. Sur les méthodes de la peinture, Galerie Jérôme de Noirment, Paris
2001
A.R. Penck. Frühe Bilder. Dauerleihgaben aus Privatbesitz, Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz A.R.Penck. Nord-Ort, Galerie Terminus, Munich
A.R. Penck, Roter Mann auf dem Weg, Galerie Triebold, Rheinfelden
2002
A.R. Penck: TM Works on Paper, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
A.R. Penck. Variationen über ein Thema, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
A.R. Penck. Neue Bilder, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
Ralf Winkler. Frühe Arbeiten. Bilder und Zeichnungen aus einer Dresdener Privatsammlung, Galerie im Schloss Wiligrad, Kunstverein Wiligrad e.V., Lübstorf
A.R. Penck. Painting, Sculpture, Drawing, Graphic, Galerie Noah im Glaspalast, Augsburg
A.R. Penck – Druckgraphik aus eigenem Bestand des MOG Regensburg, Museum Ostdeutsche Galerie, Regensburg
2003
A.R. Penck: Jenseits der Kriege. Bilder aus dem Jahr 2002, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne A.R. Penck. Weltsicht 1968-2002, Museum Küppersmühle Sammlung Grothe, Duisburg
2004
A.R. Penck: Paintings from the Seventies, Michael Werner Gallery, New York Auswahl, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
A.R. Penck, Patrick Painter Inc., Santa Monica
A.R. Penck: Constructions, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
German Art from an American View, Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt
2005
A.R. Penck, Per Kirkeby, Markus Lüpertz, Gallery W52, New York
A.R. Penck: Retrospective 1978 – 2002. Paintings and Sculpture, Galerie Forsblom, Helsinki
Works on Paper, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
A.R. Penck: New Paintings, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
A.R. Penck, Art & Public, Geneva
Private/Corporate III. Sammlung Daimler Chrysler – Sammlung Heliod Spiekermann, Daimler Chrysler Contemporary, Haus Huth, Berlin
New acquisitions. Jörg Immendorff, Markus Lüpertz, A.R. Penck. Paintings and Sculptures, Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz The upper half. The bust since Auguste Rodin, Städtisches Museum Heilbronn
Works from the Sixties, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
Atlas – Dialog of World Cultures, HBV Kunst Palais, Munich
First Presentation, Akademie-Galerie – Die neue Sammlung, Düsseldorf
2006
A.R. Penck, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York
Georg Baselitz, Jörg Immendorff, Markus Lüpertz, A.R. Penck, Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art Beautiful Cynicism, Arario Beijing
Dereconstruction, Gladstone Gallery, New York
Penck and Baselitz from Beyeler, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
2007
A.R. Penck: Der Begriff Modell, Neues Museum – Staatliches Museum für Kunst und Design, Nürnberg
A.R. Penck: Retrospective, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt and Kunsthalle zu Kiel
Selection, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne
A.R. Penck. Bilder aus den 60er Jahren, Galerie Michael Werner, Cologne; Michael Werner Gallery, New York Scenes and Sequences, Peter Blum Edition, New York
A Selection from 1980 to 2006, Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau
A.R. Penck. Paintings and Drawings from the 60s and 70s, Galerie Daniel Blau, Munich
A.R. Penck. Neue Arbeiten, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin
2008
Paintings 1963-77, Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, Copenhagen
A.R. Penck: Peinture, Système, Monde, Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris
Café Kranzler 1981: A. R. Penck – Reinhard Stangl, Emmanuel P. G, Galerie Emmagoss, Dresden
A.R. Penck: Die Achtziger Jahre, Julius Werner Berlin
Penck-Terck-Opitz-Gallasch. Works of Dresden – Artists from the 1970s, Kunst in der Villa Eschenbach, Dresden A.R. Penck, Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg
Being and Nature – The Unknown Penck, Städtische Galerie Dresden
Serial Works on Paper, Julius Werner, Berlin
Series Drawings, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
Black Swan: A Sculpture Show, Michael Werner, London
A.R. Penck: Paintings from the Eighties, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
2009
Paint Made Flesh, Frist Center for the Visual Art Nashville, Tennessee; The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, New York
Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures, LACMA, Los Angeles; Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg; Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin
1968: The Great Innocents, Kunsthalle Bielefeld
Edition Copenhagen Retrospective 1959-2009, Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen
A.R. Penck: Neue Systembilder, Michael Werner Kunsthandel, Cologne; Michael Werner Gallery, New York; Galerie Michael Werner, Berlin
A.R. Penck, Museum Weserburg, Bremen
2010
C’est la Vie!, Musée Maillol, Paris
A.R. Penck, Kunsthalle Rostock
A.R. Penck, Vergangenheit Gegenwart, Zukunft, Museum Ludwig, Cologne
2011
A.R. Penck. Holzschnitte, Radierungen, Lithographien, Hermann Voith Galerie, Kunstmuseum Heidenheim
Lüpertz – Penck, Galerie Zdenek Sklenar, Prague
Flowers for Summer, Michael Werner Gallery, New York
Die unbekannte Sammlung. Klassiker der Kunsthalle Bielefeld, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, Bielefeld
Rückschau in die Moderne. Arbeiten auf Papier der bedeutendsten europäischen und amerikanischen Künstler des 20. Jahrhunderts aus der Sammlung Richard H. Mayer, Schleswig-Holstein-Haus, Schwerin
A.R. Penck, Galerie Noah, Augsburg
A.R. Penck, Galerie Fred Jahn, Munich
Jubiläumsausstellung 20 Jahre Galerie Rigassi, Galerie Rigassi, Bern
Peintures sur papier et gravures, Galerie Lelong, Paris
2012
German Masters: Lüpertz, Penck, Baselitz, Richter, Polke, Galerie & Edition Bode, Nürnberg
Geteilt-Ungeteilt: Kunst in Deutschland, 1945 bis 2010, Galerie Neue Meister, Albertinum, Dresden
Tour d’Horizon: Werke aus der Sammlung Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Migros: Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich
Elegante Linien – Papierarbetien aus 4 Jahrzehnten, Galerie Raab, Berlin
Kewenig Galerie at Salon du Dessin, Palais de la Bourse, Paris
It’s your choice – LUFO Highlights, Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen
Rendez-vous der Maler II: Malerei an der Kunstakademie Düsseldorf von 1986 bis heute, Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf
“Pas de Duex” – Künstler der Galerie, Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden
To the Museum of Modern Dreams, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart A.R. Penck, Gallery Cardi Black Box, Milan
A.R. Penck currently lives and works in Dublin and Düsseldorf.