Gerhard Richter Turns 75
Happy Birthday, Mr. Richter
Born in Dresden in 1932, Gerhard Richter fled East Germany in 1961 and settled in Düsseldorf. Richter, who now lives in Cologne, has been ranked the world's "most expensive living artist" three years in a row by the magazine "Capital." He turned 75 on Friday.
Cologne's Pixels of Stained Glass
Some 11,250 squares in 80 hues make up the stained-glass window Richter is constructing for the southern wing of the Cologne Cathedral. Though it differs from the biblical scenes that adorn the cathedral's other windows, critics say the 113-square-meter (1,216-square-foot) window, which is to be completed in spring 2007, integrates well in the church.
The Atlas Collection
These pieces belong to Richter's "Atlas" collection, which went on display in January 2004 at the Whitechapel Art gallery in London. The encyclopedic Atlas collection, which Richter began in 1963, includes some 5,000 photos, drawings and diagrams and closely follows the subjects of his paintings.
Portrait of a Portrait
These 48 portrait photographs were also part of Richter's "Atlas" collection on view at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London in 2004.
Walk the (Yellow) Line
Measuring 1.9 meters by 20 meters (6.2 feet by 65.6 feet), Richter's vernissage "Yellow Line" was displayed in his birth town Dresden in 2005.
Bird's Eye View
Richter created these paintings of Madrid and the Alps in 1968. They were displayed at the Kunsthalle in Düsseldorf in 1986.
A Life of Art
The North Rhine Westphalia Art Collection presented 120 of Richter's works in 2005. Here, the artist appears with his "Abstract Picture," created in 1984.
Betty
Richter painted "Betty" in 1991. Maybe she's allergic to dust, or else the museum floor is so dirty she just can't bear to look. In any case, the cleaning lady is preparing for an exhibition of the artist's works in Flensburg in northern Germany in 2006.
The Face (and Legs) of Art
This exhibit in May 2006 in Flensburg focused on the significance of the portrait in Richter's work. Shown here are his photographs "Colette Dereal" (1964) and "Olympia" (1967).
Richter and the Blur
"Mao, 1968" made an appearance at Richter's portrait exhibit in Flensburg. The artist and photographer is known for experimenting with the balance between clarity and blur.
Haunted House
Richter's "Skull" and "Two Candles" are shown here in Chicago's Art Institute, where they were exhibited in 2002.
What's Your Favorite Color?
The North Rhine Westphalia Art Collection displayed Richter's "Ten Large Colored Panels" along with 120 other works in 2005. Richter painted over 50 color charts.