PETER FREEMAN, INC. 560 BROADWAY #602 / 603 NEW YORK NEW YORK 10012
212 966 5154 / fax: 212 966 5349
PRESS RELEASE
exhibition: Franz Erhard Walther
date: 11 March - 1 May 2010
Peter Freeman, Inc. is pleased to announce the representation of Franz Erhard Walther and his
first solo exhibition in America in almost twenty years, from 11 March to 1 May 2010. The show
is devoted to the artist's early works from the 1960s, most of which were created when Walther
lived in New York City from 1967 to 1971.
The exhibition presents four elements from Walther's "1.Werksatz" ("First Set of Works"), a
series of fifty-eight canvas objects intended for use. Each work in the series – whether a
kilometer-long cord meant to be unrolled, a bag with pockets in which to collect objects while
walking, or a padded curtain hanging in a doorway through which the visitor must pass – draws
attention to the body as sculptural form by guiding the participants through specific actions.
When several works from the group were shown in Harald Szeemann's seminal exhibition
"When Attitudes Become Form" (1968), Walther noted: "These objects are only instruments,
they have little perceptual significance. The objects are important only through the possibilities
originating from their use."
The works presented at Peter Freeman, Inc. span the entirety of Walther's early production,
beginning with his first participatory piece: "Two Cardboard Rolls (Piece to Overcome
Embarrassment)" (1962), which consists of tubes meant to be handled. In "Connection (Head)"
(1967), two viewers place their heads through a single piece of canvas, while facing each other.
In "Plinth, Four Areas" (1969), participants stand in the corners of a canvas block, pulling it taut.
In addition, sixteen related watercolors from 1963 to 1969 will be on view.
Walther studied at the Düsseldorf Academy in the early 1960s under K.O. Götz. There, he
became close to Joseph Beuys, as well as his peers Gerhard Richter and Blinky Palermo. In
1970, he was included in Jennifer Licht's "SPACES" exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art,
New York, with Michael Asher, Dan Flavin, Larry Bell, and Robert Morris. He has exhibited
internationally for over 40 years, with numerous one-person shows at venues including the
Sprengel Museum, Hanover; Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven; and Mies van der Rohe
Haus, Berlin. A major retrospective of Walther's work opens on 17 February 2010 at Musée
d'art moderne et contemporain, Geneva.
An opening reception with demonstrations by Franz Erhard Walther will be held on 11 March from 6 to 8 pm.
For reproduction requests or general inquiries, please contact Christopher Moss.
212 966 5154 / fax: 212 966 5349
PRESS RELEASE
exhibition: Franz Erhard Walther
date: 11 March - 1 May 2010
Peter Freeman, Inc. is pleased to announce the representation of Franz Erhard Walther and his
first solo exhibition in America in almost twenty years, from 11 March to 1 May 2010. The show
is devoted to the artist's early works from the 1960s, most of which were created when Walther
lived in New York City from 1967 to 1971.
The exhibition presents four elements from Walther's "1.Werksatz" ("First Set of Works"), a
series of fifty-eight canvas objects intended for use. Each work in the series – whether a
kilometer-long cord meant to be unrolled, a bag with pockets in which to collect objects while
walking, or a padded curtain hanging in a doorway through which the visitor must pass – draws
attention to the body as sculptural form by guiding the participants through specific actions.
When several works from the group were shown in Harald Szeemann's seminal exhibition
"When Attitudes Become Form" (1968), Walther noted: "These objects are only instruments,
they have little perceptual significance. The objects are important only through the possibilities
originating from their use."
The works presented at Peter Freeman, Inc. span the entirety of Walther's early production,
beginning with his first participatory piece: "Two Cardboard Rolls (Piece to Overcome
Embarrassment)" (1962), which consists of tubes meant to be handled. In "Connection (Head)"
(1967), two viewers place their heads through a single piece of canvas, while facing each other.
In "Plinth, Four Areas" (1969), participants stand in the corners of a canvas block, pulling it taut.
In addition, sixteen related watercolors from 1963 to 1969 will be on view.
Walther studied at the Düsseldorf Academy in the early 1960s under K.O. Götz. There, he
became close to Joseph Beuys, as well as his peers Gerhard Richter and Blinky Palermo. In
1970, he was included in Jennifer Licht's "SPACES" exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art,
New York, with Michael Asher, Dan Flavin, Larry Bell, and Robert Morris. He has exhibited
internationally for over 40 years, with numerous one-person shows at venues including the
Sprengel Museum, Hanover; Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven; and Mies van der Rohe
Haus, Berlin. A major retrospective of Walther's work opens on 17 February 2010 at Musée
d'art moderne et contemporain, Geneva.
An opening reception with demonstrations by Franz Erhard Walther will be held on 11 March from 6 to 8 pm.
For reproduction requests or general inquiries, please contact Christopher Moss.