* 1938 in D\u00fcsseldorf, Deutschland\r\nlives in Cologne, Germany<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a trained stonemason, Ulrich R\u00fcckriem’s departure for his own artistic expression began in the early 1960s.\r\nAfter two years of sculptural work at the Cologne Cathedral Masonry Workshop, he took up the challenge of intensively examining artistic creative processes and developing his own formal language. He is particularly impressed by the conceptual facilities of American Minimal Art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the background of a profound classical education and the corresponding down-to-earth professionalism, the future working principle with the elementary conditions of sculpture is created: mass, material and proportions. The starting point is always the blank found in the quarry with an approximate basic geometric form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The stone is worked using the traditional methods of splitting and cutting, whereby the working processes should follow a continuous visual traceability.\r\nR\u00fcckriem achieves an inspiring dialogue between sculpture and its surroundings through the conceptual and compositional links between the artwork and the surrounding landscape or architectural spatial concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this way he has had a decisive influence on the development of modern sculpture.\r\nThis contemporary presence is also evident in his participation in documenta 5, 7, 8 and 9, as well as the Biennale di Venezia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nPhoto \u00a9 Alfred Karner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
* 1938 in D\u00fcsseldorf, Deutschland lives in Cologne, Germany As a trained stonemason, Ulrich R\u00fcckriem’s departure for his own artistic expression began in the early 1960s. After two years of sculptural work at the Cologne Cathedral Masonry Workshop, he took up the challenge of intensively examining artistic creative processes and developing his own formal language. He […]<\/p>\n