Folium Argentum 1968

Heinz Mack created “Folium Argentum” using aluminum, a material emblematic of modernity, industry, and technological advancement. Born in Germany in 1931, Mack's experience of post-war reconstruction profoundly shaped his artistic vision. As a founder of the ZERO movement, Mack sought to move past the established artistic norms, to create something entirely new. The reflective surface of “Folium Argentum” embodies this ethos. The grid of patterned aluminum squares challenges traditional notions of art as a unique, expressive statement. Instead, it suggests a sense of endless repetition and industrial production. The cool, metallic sheen of the work might at first seem impersonal, but it also invites us to consider our own reflections within it. In that sense, it becomes a mirror reflecting the values of a society increasingly shaped by industry, technology, and mass production. It makes us wonder about the place of the individual within such systems.