Isa Genzken

Isa Genzken (1948, Bad Oldesloe, Germany) is considered one of Germany's most important and influential contemporary artists. She studied at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg, Germany with Professors Almir Mavignier (1925, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 2018, Hamburg, Germany) and Kai Sudek (1928, Lübeck, Germany - 1995, Razteburg, Germany) (1968-71), Universität der Künste, Berlin, Germany (1971-73), Art History and Philosophy at the University of Cologne, Germany (1973-75), and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, Germany, with Professor Gerhard Richter (1932, Dresden, Germany) (1973-77). 

Genzken taught Sculpture at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (1977-78), Design at the Fachhochschule Niederrhein, Krefeld, Germany (1978-79), and was guest lecturer at the Universität der Künste, Berlin (1990) and the Städelschule Frankfurt, Germany (1991-92). She married the German painter Gerhard Richter in 1982, the couple separated in 1993. In spite of sculpture being the discipline of choice for Isa Genzken, the artist has also produced work in various mediums, including photography, film, video, drawing and work on paper, painting, installation, collages, artist books, movies, and music. 

Among Genzken's reference exhibitions stand out Fuck the Bauhaus (2000, AC Project Room, New York, USA), which marked a transition in contemporary art production towards a less specialized aesthetic, more vivid or accidental, as opposed to modernist, orderly or rational urbanism, which collapsed under the ideology of the Nazi regime. In 2017, Genzken was awarded the Kaiserring der Stadt Goslar, Goslar, Germany, and in 2019 received the prestigious Nasher Sculpture Center Award, Dallas, USA.

Genzken has been a factor in important exhibitions in museums and biennials, including: Kunstmuseum Basel, Basel, Switzerland (2020); Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2019, 2015); MAAT Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon, Portugal (2017); La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy (2015, 2007, 2003, 1993, 1982); Whitechapel Gallery, London, United Kingdom (2015, 2009); Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany (2013, 2007, 2005, 2004); MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA (2013, retrospective); New Museum, New York, USA (2010); Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2010); Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, Sweden (2009, 2008); Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Porto, Portugal (2006); Secession, Vienna, Austria (2006); Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany (2005, 2004, 1995); Documenta, Kassel, Germany (2002, 1992, 1982); Skulptur Projekte Münster, Münster, Germany (1997, 1987).

PS, dezembro 2020