Imi Knoebel, Rote Konstellation

Imi Knoebel, Rote Konstellation

“Yves Klein has painted his canvas blue, Lucio Fontana has cut slashes into his. What’s left? If you want to do something, to stay alive, you have to think of something at least as radical.” – Imi Knoebel

Explore the Minimalism of Imi Knoebel’s limited edition prints, where his exploration of form and color transforms simplicity into profound visual statements. Each abstract print, available for sale, embodies Knoebel’s unique approach to abstraction and offers a serene yet striking presence in any art collection.

Imi Knoebel, born in 1940 in Dessau, Germany, is a distinguished figure in the realm of minimalist art, known for his profound exploration of form, color, and material. Despite his education under Joseph Beuys at the Düsseldorf Art Academy, Knoebel’s artistic direction was significantly influenced by Kazimir Malevich, a pioneer of geometric abstract art. Imi Knoebel’s artwork, which spans across multiple mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and installations, is a continuation of Malevich’s concept of “pure perception.” This approach is characterized by a focus on simple forms and a reductive use of color, striving to achieve a form of artistic purity and simplicity. Knoebel’s philosophy on art is encapsulated in his own words: “When I am asked about what I think when I look at a painting, I can only answer that I don’t think at all; I look at it and can only take in the beauty, and I don’t want to see it in relation to anything else. Only what I see, simply because it has its own validity.” This perspective reflects his commitment to the aesthetic experience of art, valuing the intrinsic beauty and form of the artwork over any external associations or interpretations. Known for creating artworks in series, Imi Knoebel’s minimal compositions are distinguished by their simplistic and strict vocabulary of shapes, paired with a nuanced and subtle use of color. He effectively reveals the inherent physical characteristics of basic materials such as fiberboard, plywood, and aluminum, emphasizing the materiality and the essence of the mediums he employs. His limited edition prints are often an exploration of the interplay between space, color, and form, inviting viewers to engage with the fundamental elements of visual art. Imi Knoebel’s artwork has been featured in various documenta exhibitions and retrospectives across Europe, including Haus der Kunst in Munich, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern in Spain, and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.