Günther Förg

Luhring Augustine, New York

Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1996

"Retrospectively, the reason for the continued importance of Förg’s oeuvre becomes clear. The evolution of his direct, subjective engagement with the aesthetic of the sublime—conducted without fear of stereotypical taboos—oscillates between appropriation and homage, yet Förg does so without any ironic quotations or other such cheap distancing techniques. Instead, he throws mythical ballast overboard and appropriates picture-making strategies in a way that makes them look new.”

– Andreas Schlaegel, Bruce Weber, "Günther Förg, German Artist Who Made Moderism His Theme, Dies at 61," The New York Times, 18 December 2013)

Executed in 1989, Untitled exemplifies Günther Förg’s expert manipulation of color and space, creating stunningly evocative works within the confines of the frame. Sweeping brush strokes balance green and black, splitting the work into two distinct parts. The gentle lines of Förg’s brush see the use of watercolor taken to its most elegant form, with their application running parallel to the black stripe cutting the canvas. Though the space is awash with muted tones, Untitled exudes a stirring energy through the disquieting and chromatically intense interruption of colors. 

Förg’s simple compositional formula, characteristically divided into unequal sections, juxtaposes two powerfully emotive primary hues. Through the dispersion of his chosen elemental colors, the artist evokes the design-considered purism of Piet Mondrian and the De Stijl movement. Distinguishing his aims from predecessors Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko, Förg explained, “Newman and Rothko attempted to rehabilitate in their works a unity and an order that for them had been lost ... For me, abstract art today is what one sees and nothing more.” (G. Förg, quoted in Günther Förg: Painting / Sculpture /Installation, exh. cat., 1989, Newport Beach, p. 6). 

By defining abstraction as an expression among many others, Förg reoriented the dialogue for minimalist art and situated himself amongst the most significant artists of the 20th century. Untitled serves as a definitive example of Förg’s work within the canon of abstraction, bringing to light the evolution of the form and cementing his role in its history.