GOTTHARD GRAUBNER German, 1930-2013

Gotthard Graubner (1930 in Erlbach – 2013 in Neuss) is considered one of the most important representatives of abstract painting in postwar Germany. After studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and the Berlin University of the Arts, he developed a distinctive position within color field painting. At the core of his practice is color as an autonomous carrier of space and atmosphere. He is particularly known for his “color-space bodies,” in which layers of paint are applied to cushion-like supports, creating a physically perceptible, atmospheric depth. Graubner’s painting combines meditative concentration with a radical reduction to color and light. His works are held in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Galleryin London, the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, and the Neue Nationalgalerie.