Georg Baselitz: A Life in Print
Grand print exhibition by one of the leading artists of our time
Georg Baselitz in his printing studio, 2007. Photo: Elke Baselitz.
When
Where Stenersen
Since the 1960s, Georg Baselitz has been turning the world upside down with his art.
Kode is presenting a retrospective exhibition to celebrate six decades of printmaking by the German artist. Featuring 245 works, it will be his most comprehensive print exhibition to date.
Georg Baselitz (born 1938) is known for his significant contribution to German Neo-expressionism, and particularly recognized for his paintings, prints and sculptures.
Baselitz began exploring different print techniques in 1964 and has since considered them an integral part of his practice.
While his contemporaries were using new techniques like offset and screen printing to create what were often large print runs, Baselitz rejected the Zeitgeist by exploring centuries-old techniques such as drypoint, aquatint and woodcut.
This is the first time Baselitz’ prints are being presented on such a grand scale.
"It is a show that I wanted to witness, a show that had to happen," the 87-year-old artist states.
"Throughout my career, printmaking has been of utmost importance to me. It is very exciting to see it taking center stage for once."
Motifs from the past 60 years
A Life in Print, which has been curated by Cornelius Tittel in cooperation with the Baselitz Archives, will present all of the main themes and motifs from the artist’s career, ranging from “The Heroes” of the mid-1960s through his iconic pictures of eagles to his many portraits of his wife Elke.
The exhibition will allow the viewer to decode some of his artistic references, from the Mannerist painters of the Italian Renaissance to Edvard Munch, one of Baselitz’ acknowledged heroes.
More about the artist
Baselitz has been a key figure in the international art scene since the 1960s
His artistic practice has a characteristic style that often contains distorted figures and inverted subjects.
Baselitz was born in 1938 at a time when Germany was controlled by Hitler. In his art, he draws inspiration from German culture, history and artistic traditions, and his works often reflect societal and artistic challenges.