Günther Förg

While neomodernism is all the rage now, German abstractionist Günther Förg (1952–2013) arguably paved the way 25 years ago with deadpan black-and-white photos of Bauhaus architecture. Working in painting, film and sculpture as well as photography, Förg alternately paid homage to and critiqued high modernism's historical accomplishments, which had become something of a burden for certain artists of his generation (including bad boy Martin Kippenberger). A case in point is the series of minimalist monochromes presented here. Enlivening marks that recall Cy Twombly appear to be exiting the canvas in various directions, leaving bands of blank space behind.