Franz Erhard Walther's Dia:Beacon Exhibition Revisits His Pioneering Participatory Art
Franz Erhard Walther, a prominent German artist born in Fulda in 1939, is currently showcased in a significant exhibition at Dia:Beacon, New York, running until February 13, 2012. The exhibition emphasizes his influential contributions to 1960s art, particularly his innovative idea of 'practicable' artworks. Walther's involvement in major exhibitions includes 'When Attitudes Become Form' in 1969 and Documenta 5 in 1972. He was the inaugural artist published by the König brothers in 1968 and has been backed by dealer Heiner Friedrich since 1967. A graduate of Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, he lived in New York from 1967 to 1973, engaging with notable figures in the art world. His '1st Workset' (Werksatz) comprises 58 fabric pieces, and his later creations delve into sensory experiences. In 2009, he released 'Sternenstaub' and is represented by Galerie Jocelyn Wolff and Galerie Nelson Freeman.
Key facts
- Franz Erhard Walther exhibition at Dia:Beacon, New York, until February 13, 2012.
- Walther participated in 'When Attitudes Become Form' (1969), 'Spaces' at MoMA (1969), and Documenta 5 (1972).
- He was a student at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf with Gerhard Richter and Sigmar Polke.
- He lived in New York from 1967 to 1973, interacting with Walter de Maria, Richard Artschwager, Paul Thek, Robert Ryman, Barnett Newman, and Marcel Duchamp.
- His '1st Workset' (1963-1969) consists of 58 fabric pieces designed for viewer activation.
- Works are often presented in 'Lagerform' (stored form) to allow virtual projection.
- Walther's practice includes thousands of drawings that extend the experience of his works.
- He published a drawn novel 'Sternenstaub' in 2009.
Entities
Artists
- Franz Erhard Walther
- Gerhard Richter
- Sigmar Polke
- Walter de Maria
- Richard Artschwager
- Paul Thek
- Robert Ryman
- Barnett Newman
- Marcel Duchamp
- Harald Szeemann
- Jennifer Licht
- Heiner Friedrich
- Christian Bernard
- Yasmil Raymond
- Michael Lingner
- Erik Verhagen
- Donald Judd
- Michael Fried
- Frank Stella
- Lawrence Weiner
Institutions
- Dia:Beacon
- MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
- Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
- Documenta 5
- Mamco (Musée d'art moderne et contemporain) Geneva
- Villa Arson Nice
- Museum Haus Lange Krefeld
- Drawing Room London
- Galerie Jocelyn Wolff
- Galerie Nelson Freeman
- König brothers (publishers)
- artpress (publication)
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Fulda
- Germany
- Düsseldorf
- Krefeld
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Nice
- France
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
Sources
- artpress —