Reiner Ruthenbeck

This is the first major survey in the UK of German sculptor and conceptual artist Reiner Ruthenbeck (born 1937, Germany). Ruthenbeck is an orchestrator of geometric form, noted for his ability to transform space using unconventional materials such as crumpled paper or swathes of fabric. Ruthenbeck’s work subverts the familiar, using minimalist objects and simple everyday materials to explore architecture, iconology, perception, and in later works, sound. In 2006, Ruthenbeck wrote, ‘we are moving towards immaterial art, yet we only approach it in small steps’. From 1968 to 1972 he created several piles and cones made of ash, slag, and paper. Later, he would present utilitarian objects like chairs, tables and a suitcase, stripped of their function and thus exaggerating the objects’ pure shapes. The exhibition will bring together, for the first time in the UK, many of these key moments in the artist’s career and will include sculpture, objects and conceptual works.