Irma Blank on Art, Rhythm, and the Gesture of Walking
In a conversation with Artribune, artist Irma Blank (1934, Celle; currently residing in Milan) discusses her artistic evolution, which began in Germany during the 1940s and continued in Italy after her move in 1955. While in Syracuse, Sicily, she experienced cultural isolation that was nonetheless significant, maintaining her roots through German titles such as the Eigenschriften series (1969). Blank dismisses conventional art categories, asserting that art is an act that cannot be taught. Inspired by Joseph Beuys and linked to poet Ugo Carrega, she often felt distanced from visual poetry. Critic Mirella Bentivoglio championed her work. Her relocation to Milan in the early 1970s marked a crucial turning point. Her latest series, Gehen (2017), explores themes of personal illness, highlighting a musical rhythm in her art, recognized for its silent grandeur and spiritual qualities.
Key facts
- Irma Blank was born in Celle, Germany in 1934 and lives in Milan.
- She moved to Syracuse, Italy in 1955 and later to Milan in the early 1970s.
- Her series Eigenschriften (1969) is a process of self-analysis through repetition.
- She rejects traditional categories like 'writing' or 'painting' and believes art cannot be taught.
- Critic Mirella Bentivoglio helped promote her work.
- She felt a kinship with artist Roman Opalka.
- Her recent series Gehen (2017) was inspired by a personal illness that prevents her from walking.
- Gillo Dorfles described her as having a monastic stature.
Entities
Artists
- Irma Blank
- Joseph Beuys
- Ugo Carrega
- Roman Opalka
- Annelies Klophaus
- Gillo Dorfles
- Mirella Bentivoglio
Institutions
- Artribune
- P420
Locations
- Celle
- Germany
- Milan
- Italy
- Syracuse
- Sicily
- Bologna