Untitled 1987

Curator: Looking at Gerhard Richter's "Untitled" from 1987, created with acrylic paint, what are your initial thoughts? Editor: Well, it's intense. That deep red practically vibrates off the canvas. There's a real feeling of turmoil, almost violent, wouldn’t you agree? Curator: The late 1980s saw a resurgence of Expressionism, a period often interpreted as a reaction against the perceived sterility of earlier, more conceptual art forms. Richter’s work here, in its material intensity and expressive brushwork, definitely taps into that sentiment. This piece, like many others of the period, became symbolic of the struggles for power occurring on the global stage and particularly the feelings of angst and anxiety towards nuclear war. Editor: I see that tension mirrored in the composition. The stark contrast between the fiery red dominating the right and the cooler blue and yellow on the left creates a visual push and pull. It is like watching the political spectrum arguing for air space. Curator: Precisely. We can consider Richter's context; as a German artist, the legacy of both Expressionism and the World Wars loomed large. Post-war, particularly during the Cold War, there was an increasing desire among artists to give expression to what were considered traumatic feelings of cultural and moral isolation. His work directly grapples with this need. The layered application of paint and scraping techniques he uses evoke a sense of history being simultaneously revealed and erased, a poignant reflection on German identity. Editor: I wonder about its reception. Did the public connect with this raw expression, especially given Germany's historical sensitivities around displaying overt emotionalism? Curator: Initially, it was challenging. The art world grappled with understanding Richter's diverse approach to art making, as well as Germany grappling with its past. But overtime, as the country shifted its perceptions and policies toward dealing with their wartime traumas, "Untitled", along with similar works, came to be valued for opening dialogues that were formerly seen as inappropriate. Editor: A compelling journey, from potentially offensive to nationally prized, speaks to art's power to both challenge and heal. Curator: Absolutely. "Untitled" reminds us of art’s ability to not just reflect history, but also reshape the narrative that comes with it.