Thomas Schutte - Hardcover

Sandqvist, Getrud; Govan, Michael; Schutte, Thomas; Cooke, Lynne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0944521401 ISBN 13: 9780944521403

Publisher: Dia Art Foundation, 2001

Synopsis

"Fundamentally, my works are almost always in the nature of a proposal," Thomas Schtte contends, while conceding that "nonetheless, mostly they exist in the form of models." Schtte's notion of models is, consequently, encompassing and complex: at its core lies hypothesis and speculation. This new monograph explores in detail the vast scope of work by this renowned mid-career German artist by documenting a tripartite, eighteen-month exhibition at the Dia Center for the Arts which in effect constitutes a retrospective overview of the artist's oeuvre. Devised in three segments with distinct points of reference, this unusually extended presentation revealed the extraordinary inventiveness and diversity of Schtte's production. Scenewright, the first installment, from September 1998 through January 1999, focuses on issues relating to scenography and theater. Gloria in Memoria, from February through June 1999, explores memorials, monuments, and antiheroes, and includes works ranging from installations and sculpture to drawing. The third and final phase, In Medias Res, from September 1999 through June 2000, concentrated on recent ceramics, shown together with a new series of related monumental steel sculptures. The accompanying catalogue follows the same format as the exhibition, with essays by Dia curator and renowned art scholar Lynne Cooke as well as acclaimed poet and critic Susan Stewart.

About this title

Review:

Thomas Schütte is a catalog of works by this contemporary German artist. Schütte studied under Gerhard Richter, Benjamin Buchloh, and Bernd and Hilla Becher at the Düsseldorf Academy in the 1970s. He comes from that strong conceptual background, but as his career matured the emotional content of his work evolved and became much more potent. Schütte's work is incredibly eclectic: ceramic figures, architectural models, drawings, outdoor sculptures, photographs, and installations. A recent work, Big Spirits (1996), is a collection of larger-than-life-size aluminum figures that seem to be morphing before one's eyes. They are at once ghost, human, and machine. Also riveting is The Innocents (1994), a series of photographs of the heads of handmade figurines, and United Enemies, A Play in Ten Scenes (1993)--offset lithographs, also of figurines wrapped in Schütte's clothes. His watercolors are beautiful, ranging from drawings of fruit to portraits of women. Whatever the project, Schütte is tapped in to a particular humanity.

Included in the book are essays by Julian Heynen and Angela Vettese, an interview with James Lingwood, and an essay by Roman philosopher Seneca, chosen by the artist. There is also a story by Schütte--printed in English for the first time. --Jennifer Cohen

About the Author:

LYNNE COOKE is Curator of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain, and Curator at Large for the Dia Art Foundation, New York, USA. PENELOPE CURTIS is Curator at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, UK. CHRISTINE MEHRING is Professor of Art History, the University of Chicago, USA.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dia Art Foundation
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0944521401
• ISBN 13: 9780944521403
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 144