Otto Piene and Guenther Uecker are part of the salon-style exhibition “2/3 of group ZERO,” which will run from October 7th thru November 4th with a focus on iconic lithographs such as “Brett II”, the “Bewegung” series, “Centerbeam”, Sponge” and many more – all signed and numbered by the artists. Their works can be found in the collections of major institutions worldwide, among them: the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago; National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.
ZERO is a group of German artists that Heinz Mack and Otto Piene founded in 1957 set out to become an international art movement, oftentimes associated with the Nouveau réalisme paradigm. Mack and Piene invited an additional artist, Guenther Uecker, to exhibit in their studio, and the three friends became the founding fathers of the ZERO movement, which would soon reach out to embrace artists throughout Europe. Working in an environment without galleries and contemporary art spaces, these artists came together to exhibit their work in a series of one-day-only evening exhibitions, often staged in their studios.
Otto Piene “Sponge”
Dimensions: 24.41 X 20.08 in (62 X 51 cm)
Lithograph in colors on wove paper
Creation Date: 1977
Numbered and Signed
Piene’s prints reflect his work as project director for “Centerbeam” and director of MIT’s Center for Advanced Visual Studies. In this position Piene continued to explore the many interfaces of art, technology, and the environment.
Cerbera Gallery is also pleased to showcase one of Piene’s most noticeable works, “Sponge”. Over a rectangular color area in bright ultramarine blue, the artist has placed a smaller rectangular form of loosely structured color splashes and streaks in fiery vermilion. Thus, the cold-warm contrast between the two colors and the contrast between the unstructured, quiet flatness of the blue, and flickering-lively structure of the red cause an exciting composition.
After Piene’s death in 2014, he was praised by Germany’s minister of culture, Monika Grütters, who said that “many of his highly aesthetic works in public space were also a signal against the inhospitality of our cities.
Guenther Uecker – “Bewegung II”
Dimensions: 19.25″ x 26.25″ in (49,0 x 67,0 cm)
Lithograph on Zanders paper with drystamp from Erker Presse St.Gallen
Creation Date: 1980
Numbered and signed
The show also features iconic prints by Uecker, who in the 1960s began hammering nails into pieces of furniture, musical instruments and household objects, which is a recurring theme in his limited editions.
Otto Piene “Centerbeam”
Dimensions: 104 x 71.2 cm
Lithograph in colors on wove paper
Creation Date: 1978
Numbered and Signed
Guenther Uecker – “Brett II”
Dimensions: 64.8 x 45 cm
Lithograph in colors on BFK Rives wove paper
Creation Date: 1991
Numbered and signed
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