Gerhard Richter unveils new sculpture at Serpentine South

Gerhard Richter revisits themes of pattern and repetition in ‘Strip-Tower’ at London’s Serpentine South

Gerhard Richter Strip-Tower striped sculpture in park for Serpentine South, London
STRIP-TOWER (2023) by Gerhard Richter
(Image credit: © 2024, Gerhard Richter, Prudence Cuming Associates)

Painting, photography and digital reproduction unite in Gerhard Richter’s new sculpture on the plinth at Serpentine South. 

The striped Strip-Tower nods to the German artist’s 2010 Strip Paintings, which themselves looked back to Abstract Painting 724-4, a painting created in 1990 that was then photographed. The resulting images were manipulated digitally on a software programme, before being divided into strips, which were stretched and laminated onto aluminium, and covered with Perspex. 

Gerhard Richter's striped sculpture in park

(Image credit: © 2024, Gerhard Richter, Prudence Cuming Associates)

Here, Richter revisits this mixed-media approach, casting striped ceramic tiles on panels in a cross-section that invites visitors inside in a play on patterns, repetition and reflection. The work forms the latest project in the Serpentine’s long-standing partnership with The Royal Parks to install public artworks in the public green havens. 

‘This is a coda to the acclaimed Richter exhibition we hosted here at Serpentine South in 2008, titled “4900 Colours”,’ say Serpentine CEO Bettina Korek and artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist. ‘Strip-Tower is a three-dimensional manifestation of themes and methods that underpin Richter’s historic practice in painting, repetition, improvisation and chance and we are grateful to the artist, The Royal Parks and all our partners – specifically HENI – for this spectacular opportunity to build new connections between artists and audiences.’

'Strip-Tower' is at Serpentine South from 25 April – 27 October 2024

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Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.