576 - RÜCKRIEM, ULRICH

RÜCKRIEM, ULRICH 1938 Düsseldorf Title: Untitled. Technique: Split gray granite. Dimensions: 130 x 126 x 130 cm. The work can be viewed in the Bad Honnef area by prior appointment. Provenance: - Private collection, North Rhine-Westphalia (directly from the artist) - Rückriem is one of the leading figures of German Minimal Art - The combination of a simple, geometric basic structure with schematic clarity makes the work a timeless sculpture - Can be placed both indoors and outdoors - The artist is represented in renowned public collections, including Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt am Main; and Tate Britain, London The sculpture exemplifies Ulrich Rückriem’s minimalist style. Since the late 1960s, the sculptor has been splitting stone using various techniques, only to reassemble it into its original form. With this consistently minimalist approach, he follows in the tradition of the Minimalist art movement, which originated in America. His stone sculptures, often larger than life, are reduced to basic geometric structures and captivate with their clarity. Rückriem does not seek a subjective form of expression comparable to an artist’s signature, but rather objectivity. In doing so, he proceeds with the same level of planning and control as an architect who precisely organizes the individual steps of a construction project. The material plays a paramount role in this process. First, Rückriem selects the raw stone block at the quarry and creates a sketch, based on which a stonemason divides the block. This is done by splitting it with a hammer and iron wedges or by cutting it with a circular saw. The resulting pieces are then reassembled into their original form. For the viewer, this creates a distinctive visual interplay between the visible traces of the division and the restored original form. The inspiration for this idea arose by chance: Five stones that had been ordered were stacked on a truck to save space in such a way that they once again took on the original shape of the stone block. For the artist, this chance occurrence became a realization that was as formative as it was fundamental. The compact granite sculpture offered here has been split multiple times. The marks left by the iron wedges at regular intervals are clearly visible on two sides. On the other sides, only hairline cracks hint at the splitting—such was the precision with which the stone was reassembled. Rückriem’s sculptures emerge from the ground and form a unity with their location. The rough, slightly beveled top surface catches the sunlight and radiates a pleasant warmth. The reduction of form and material is masterfully executed here. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is only available via a shipping company after consultation following the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros over a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: 1.8 per thousand Shipping to the U.S. by individual arrangement after the auction. #Ulrich Rückriem #Germany #Contemporary Art #Object #Sculptures. In accordance with §26 UrhG (German Copyright Act), VAN HAM is obligated to pay a statutory resale royalty on the sale proceeds of all original works of fine art and photography whose authors have not been deceased for 70 years prior to the end of the calendar year of the sale. The buyer shall contribute 1.5% of the hammer price toward this fee.