Sculpture. 5 granite blocks, put together to a square
100 x 100 x 9 cm (39,3 x 39,3 x 3,5 in)

PROVENANCE: Private collection Berlin.

It was in 1968 that Rückriem for the first time split a foundling-like raw piece of stone by means of a stone saw, in order to create new volume on the one hand, but to also keep the stone’s original form on the other hand. In inversion of this concept of volume splitting, Rückriem developed a method in which he used the cut line of split stone plates in order to create new squared forms with the segments. Our sculpture is also based on this principle: the granite is cut into a plate that is separated and then jointed again. Thus the outer cuboids remain raw and unprocessed, apart from traces the drill may have left behind, however, the center plate is polished. In the jointed form the plate is placed like a monolith, and yet, it shows traces originating from the previous process of procession. Rückriem carefully works on the natural material stone and tries to impact its structures as little as necessary. The stone shows cuts, drill holes and a processed surface, but it does not represent anything and is not even an abstract form. By means of a very sensitive treatment of the stone, Rückriem brings out the material’s original beauty. [SM].