By now everyone is familiar with “Richteriana,” an excellent and widely discussed exhibition at Postmasters that “examines the current canonization of Gerhard Richter, presenting six artists whose works pre-date, update, expand, and subvert ‘the greatest living artist’s’ own.” For the show, Greg Allen had four of Richter’s destroyed paintings remade in a Chinese paint mill.
Greg Allen’s Destroyed Richter Paintings channel the elder artist’s own private documentary images back into the photo- based painting feedback loop he once deemed “photography by other means.” They reproduce the experience of encountering Richter’s lost originals, while becoming new objects themselves. By engaging the sprawling Chinese photo-painting industry that has grown up in Richter’s wake, Allen forefronts the market’s incredulous perception of the artist’s autonomy–and his right to declare or destroy his own work. (via Postmasters)
Here are the photographs of the original paintings with images of Allen’s copies, which include all the details surrounding the paintings in the original images. Although it’s hard to see here, the Chinese artists didn’t really get Richter’s blurring thing, but, from a painter’s point of view, that makes Allen’s project ever stronger. Go ahead–compare and contrast.
Gerhard Richter’s stock is up
Video is Dead (not painting)
Richter Scadalized by 2011 choice for Venice Biennale
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Great article, very entertaining!
I doubt Richter ever used a brush (except on his experimental, gestural cityscapes). That's why the painted images look nothing like his, technically.
I doubt Richter ever used a brush (except for his experimental, gestural cityscapes). That's why the painted copies look nothing like his, technically.
@Anonymous#2 � they just look crappy, which is funny. This will sound completely wrong in our politically correct world but… Made in China
I have seen pictures of Richter using a brush on the photo based paintings.