Otto Piene. Alchemist und Himmelsstürmer / Alchemist and Stormer of the Skies

As a co-founder of ZERO, Otto Piene is considered a major protagonist in post-1945 abstract art. After the break up of ZERO at Bahnhof Rolandseck in 1966, he continued to develop his oeuvre in the most varied of materials for the remainder of his life. With a focus on recurring motifs, such as the circle as a symbol of the cosmos, the catalogue reflects on a wide range of his creative output, from the early pattern, fire and smoke pieces, to the heavier pottery and the lighter air and light work. Astounding parallels become clear when the work is placed in dialogue with selected pieces by Lucio Fontana, bringing to life the way art expands from the image into a sensory spatial experience. Text: Astrid von Asten, Choghakate Kazarian, Barbara Könches, Oliver Kornhoff, Jutta Mattern, Anabel Runge, Tómas Saraceno, Stephan von Wiese