Surprise: The Art of Monotype

One key area of the Stä dtische Galerie Wolfsburg’s collection is graphic art. Many of the works in the collection originated in the printing workshop at Wolfsburg Castle, thus constituting a unique feature of the museum. With the exhibition project from April to August 2022, Surprise. The Art of the Monotype , the emphasis was on the monotype, and it is now this book with works by international artists that presents the medium in its various facets. The monotype is an exciting fusion of painting, drawing and graphic art. First used around 1640, the process experienced an unprecedented triumphal boom during the nineteenth century; it was the Impressionists, in particular, who exploited the potential of this technique, oscillating between drawing and printing, in a masterful manner. The technique encourages the rapid realization of an image and effectively translates the artistic handwriting into a printed image. The book presents monotypes by numerous artists, including works by important representatives of modernism such as John Cage and Edgar Degas, and works by contemporary artists including Herbert Brandl, Sara Hughes, Mia Chaplin, Gü nther Fö rg, Gerhard Richter, and many others.

Dietmar Elger (*1958, Hannover) studied art history, history and literature at the University of Hamburg and completed his doctorate in 1984 on Kurt Schnitters’ » Merzbau« . He is considered the best connoisseur of Gerhard Richter’s work and has published numerous books on Gerhard Richter’s oeuvre and had great international success with his biography Gerhard Richter: Painter, which has been translated into English as well as many other languages. Since 2006 he is head oft he new founded Gerhard Richter Archive as an institute of the Dresden State Art Collections. He is currently working on a ne Susanne Pfleger (*1957, Mannheim) says about her work after now she has retired: » For thirty years, I conceived and realized exhibitions with contemporary artists at the Stä dtische Galerie Wolfsburg, developed new formats, published or co-produced catalogs and artists’ books. I was the gallery’s managing director for 25 of those years.« Amongst others she worked together with Silvia Bä chli, Angela Bulloch, Tony Cragg, Richard Decon, Katharina Fritsch, Candida Hö fer, Thomas Schü tte, or Tal R. In 1998 Matthias Kunz (*1967, Munich) joined as partner, and is now one oft he owner of Knust Kunz Gallery Editions in Munich. The Knust Kunz Gallery Editions was founded in 1982 under the name Galerie Sabine Knust. Continuous collaborations with artists like Georg Baselitz, Per Kirkeby, A.R. Penck, Markus Lü pertz, Jö rg Immendorff, and Imi Knoebel formed an ongoing presentation of their print and graphic oe uvre for over 30 years. Friedemann Malsch (*1955, Bielefeld) came to Liechtenstein in 1996 after completing his studies, doctorate and first exhibitions, where he first worked as curator of the Liechtenstein State Art Collection and then became founding director of the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein. From 2000 until his retirement this year, he was director of the museum.