GERHARD RICHTER , SEESTÜCK ( BEWÖLKT ), 1969 . OIL ON CANVAS . STAATSGALERIE STUTTGART , ON LOAN FROM BADEN- WÜRTTEMBERGISCHEN KULTUSMINISTERIUMS SINCE 1972 . CAT . RAIS . 235
DOUBLE VISION
by Pat Frickey
Serendipity pure . What a delight it was being part of a private “ insider tour ” led by Dr . Brigitte Kölle at the Hamburger Kunsthalle in late June . Dr . Kölle , head of contemporary art , is the curator of the exhibition Double Vision featuring works by Vija Celmins ( born in 1938 in Riga ) and Gerhard Richter ( born in 1932 in Dresden ). Although Richter is well known in Germany and Celmins in the US , and both are still alive , and though they have never met and maybe never will , there are remarkable parallels in their themes , mediums , and philosophies . It was fascinating listening to Dr . Kölle explain how she went to New York to coax a reluctant Celmins to agree to the duo exhibition . Richter had agreed to it from the start . It was Dr . Kölle ’ s vision , inspiration , and determination that brought this brilliant and insightful exhibition all together . She glowingly described the works and techniques of both artists with nuggets of her conversations with Celmins sprinkled in . A special thanks to Diana Perry Schnelle for arranging the tour , and , as Dr . Kölle revealed as we were about to leave , she , too , was grateful to Diana who had assisted her with Double Vision ’ s English translations .
40 HAMBURG HAPPENINGS