Georg Baselitz: Die Pumps Sind Falsch
Since his artistic beginnings, Baselitz has concerned himself with his own person and physicality, in diverging degrees of abstraction and figuration. Notably, in recent years, the depictions of himself鈥攕ometimes alongside his wife, Elke鈥攁re influenced by the broader human experience of the body and its ephemeral nature. And yet, he has focused on no other aspect of the body more intensely than hands and feet, the latter beginning with the series of works titled P.D. F眉脽e already in 1960. In the exhibition Die Pumps sind falsch, paintings, prints and sculptures of these body parts fill the space of CFA Basel, lending them an air of absurdity.
Persistently questioning his role as an artist and the creator of his unique artistic methods and techniques, it is no wonder that hands play such a vital role for Baselitz. After all, they are our contact to the world, as well as a painter鈥檚 most important tool. Artists widely agree that representing hands presents one of the most daunting artistic challenges. The execution of works such as D眉rer鈥檚 Praying Hands, the hand of The Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo, and the hand of God in Michelangelo鈥檚 Creation of Adam has often been regarded as a benchmark of artistic genius.
Baselitz initially seems to take the opposite approach, moving as far away as possible from realistic depiction. In a more abstract sense, the hand of the artist functions as a distinct signature and embodiment of their unique style, a characteristic that sets them apart and makes them identifiable. On a more concrete level, the artist鈥檚 own hand is a constant presence before them during the act of painting, an unavoidable and ever-visible aspect of their creative process. But even as useless elements detached from the body, they captivate Baselitz with their vitality. While even de Kooning occasionally sketched studies of his own hand, Baselitz, in his work De Koonings Hand, appears to reference the former option, emphasizing the hand鈥檚 symbolic significance.
In an era marked by the coexistence of figurative and abstract art, his challenge appears to be centered on the degree to which he can portray these fundamental body parts in their intrinsic essence or as symbolic emblems鈥攋ust recognizable enough to avoid being mistakenly dismissed as mere abstractions. According to Baselitz, they represent nothing but themselves and are equally symbols of identity, like hands in early cave paintings or the fingerprint in a passport.
And yet, the artist notes, his depictions of hands are increasingly accompanied by quotations from other artists, even if these are not immediately apparent to the viewer. Otto Dix鈥檚 Portrait of My Parents (1924) holds particular significance in various aspects. Its importance isn鈥檛 limited to the gnarled hands of Dix鈥檚 parents, resting on their knees on the sofa, but also extends to the overall composition of the double portrait, which repeatedly served as a template for Baselitz鈥檚 portrayal of his own parents.
Recommended for you
Since his artistic beginnings, Baselitz has concerned himself with his own person and physicality, in diverging degrees of abstraction and figuration. Notably, in recent years, the depictions of himself鈥攕ometimes alongside his wife, Elke鈥攁re influenced by the broader human experience of the body and its ephemeral nature. And yet, he has focused on no other aspect of the body more intensely than hands and feet, the latter beginning with the series of works titled P.D. F眉脽e already in 1960. In the exhibition Die Pumps sind falsch, paintings, prints and sculptures of these body parts fill the space of CFA Basel, lending them an air of absurdity.
Persistently questioning his role as an artist and the creator of his unique artistic methods and techniques, it is no wonder that hands play such a vital role for Baselitz. After all, they are our contact to the world, as well as a painter鈥檚 most important tool. Artists widely agree that representing hands presents one of the most daunting artistic challenges. The execution of works such as D眉rer鈥檚 Praying Hands, the hand of The Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo, and the hand of God in Michelangelo鈥檚 Creation of Adam has often been regarded as a benchmark of artistic genius.
Baselitz initially seems to take the opposite approach, moving as far away as possible from realistic depiction. In a more abstract sense, the hand of the artist functions as a distinct signature and embodiment of their unique style, a characteristic that sets them apart and makes them identifiable. On a more concrete level, the artist鈥檚 own hand is a constant presence before them during the act of painting, an unavoidable and ever-visible aspect of their creative process. But even as useless elements detached from the body, they captivate Baselitz with their vitality. While even de Kooning occasionally sketched studies of his own hand, Baselitz, in his work De Koonings Hand, appears to reference the former option, emphasizing the hand鈥檚 symbolic significance.
In an era marked by the coexistence of figurative and abstract art, his challenge appears to be centered on the degree to which he can portray these fundamental body parts in their intrinsic essence or as symbolic emblems鈥攋ust recognizable enough to avoid being mistakenly dismissed as mere abstractions. According to Baselitz, they represent nothing but themselves and are equally symbols of identity, like hands in early cave paintings or the fingerprint in a passport.
And yet, the artist notes, his depictions of hands are increasingly accompanied by quotations from other artists, even if these are not immediately apparent to the viewer. Otto Dix鈥檚 Portrait of My Parents (1924) holds particular significance in various aspects. Its importance isn鈥檛 limited to the gnarled hands of Dix鈥檚 parents, resting on their knees on the sofa, but also extends to the overall composition of the double portrait, which repeatedly served as a template for Baselitz鈥檚 portrayal of his own parents.
Artists on show
What's on nearby
