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What You Need to Know: On view through April 13, 2024, Buchmann Galerie in Berlin is presenting the solo exhibition “Tony Cragg – Sculpture.” Comprised of four monumental sculptures, each is exemplary of some of Cragg’s key series, including “Runner,” “It is, it isn’t,” “Early Forms,” and “Lost in Thought.” Together, the scale, perceived mass, and composition of abstract forms and shapes stand in stark contrast to the gallery space, emphasizing their physical and perceptual relationship with the viewer. Circumventable by visitors, the four pieces—Runner (2017), A Head, I Thought (2011), It is, It isn’t (2016), and Double Take (2014)—also work in dialogue with one another, offering insight into both their construction and material diversity as well as thematic underpinnings.
About the Artist: Born in Liverpool, England, Anglo-German sculptor Tony Cragg (b. 1949) studied at the Wimbledon School of Art and Royal College of Art respectively before relocating to Wuppertal, Germany, in 1977—where he is still based today. Cragg’s relocation was in part due to his then-wife being originally from Wuppertal, but he was also drawn to the attention and interest given to sculpture there. Cragg’s early practice frequently saw him create site-specific installations made from found or discarded objects and materials, but beginning in the mid-1970s his work became more oriented towards structure and assemblage. His sculptures became more refined as he focused on specific materials such as fiberglass, steel, or stone. In 1988, he was awarded the Turner Prize by Tate Gallery London, and the same year represented Britain at the 42nd Venice Biennale. From 1988 to 2001, he worked as a professor at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. In 2005, the Cragg Foundation was established, which runs the 25-acre sculpture park nearby Wuppertal and features roughly 40 outdoor sculptures both by Cragg as well as other artists including Henry Moore, Thomas Schütte, and Eva Hild.
Why We Like It: Despite the use of bold color, dynamic compositions, and intriguing textures, the exhibition at Buchmann gallery conveys the power of subtlety in Cragg’s sculptures. The simultaneous diversity of form yet complementary compositions of the works on view bring to the fore Cragg’s command of his unique visual language, honed over the course of a many-decade career and the creation of numerous series. While Double Take (2014) evokes industrial design, with the smooth curved slots seeming to leave room for a possible partner piece or addition, It Is, It Isn’t (2016) is more frenetic and varied, recalling a sound vibration, or the buildup of a material from nature like cooled lava. Made from bronze and wood respectively, the comparison further highlights Cragg’s ability to seamlessly move between mediums.
See inside the exhibition and featured works below.
“Tony Cragg – Sculpture” is on view at Buchmann Galerie, Berlin, through April 13, 2024.
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