Anröchte Dolomite

Anröchter Dolomit is a slab-like stone sculpture consisting of twelve rectangular parts that have been carved from the same block of stone. The sculpture is elongated and slightly sloping. The twelve parts have been roughly chiselled and assembled in a simple geometric pattern, alternating between a single whole block and two symmetrical half-blocks. The drill holes and edges show how the artist worked on and reassembled the original stone so that we clearly can see the traces of the process itself. The bare-bones title indicates that the sculpture is made from dolomite, and that the material stems from a stone quarry in the Westphalian town of Anröchte in Germany.

Ulrich Rückriem emphasizes the materiality of his art. His background is as a classical stone sculptor, and one of the highlights of his early career was helping to restore Cologne Cathedral. In the 1960s he became interested in minimalism and came into contact with artists such as Carl Andre and Blinky Palermo, something that led him to radically rethink his art. Rückriem has subsequently been known for his minimalist style, and his sculptures are made for lying directly on the floor, a ploy that has often been used to create distance from traditional sculptures that stand erect on a base. Rückriem has carried out many commissions for public art, and he has held many solo exhibitions in a number of prominent European museums. He has also participated at the Venice Biennale and three times at Documenta in Kassel.