Franz Gertsch

Switzerland, 1930

One of the most important contemporary artists. From his international breakthrough at documenta 5 in Kassel in 1972 to the present day, Gertsch has created a rich body of painterly and graphic work that takes a very special approach to reality. For Franz Gertsch, reality is not only painterly, but also a conceptual challenge. Although he starts out from photographs or slide projections, the pictures follow their own logic, which aims for absolute coherence of all elements. The woodcuts play a special role in Franz Gertsch’s work. With a hitherto unknown precision of execution and in monumental formats that push the limits of what is possible in paper production alone, Gertsch has opened up new dimensions with this traditional medium.

The Franz Gertsch Museum in Burgdorf, not far from where he lived and worked in Rüschegg, is a fitting tribute to his life’s work.

Represented by Skopia, Geneva.