Josef Helfenstein

A time of new beginnings In 1969, Franz Gertsch painted Huaa...!—which shows a wildly galloping man on horseback—after a film still from a magazine. Photographs have formed the basis for his work ever since, which he almost always takes himself. They include snapshots of the young Gertsch family, pictures from a trip to the South of France, photos of his encounters with Luciano Castelli and his dazzling circle of friends, and portraits of Patti Smith. This publication shows key works from the seventies, both in full views and with details in original size. Zeroing in on these almost abstract-looking details reveals the vibrant quality of the painting with its shimmering surfaces. FRANZ GERTSCH (b. 1930) celebrated his 90th birthday in 2020. With his participation in the documenta in Kassel in 1972 he rose to international fame as a Swiss Photorealist. The paintings in this book were done during this decisive creative phase. Exhibition An exhibition by the Museum Franz Gertsch in cooperation with the LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz. Languages: German and English

The Cubist Cosmos traces the development of Cubism between 1907 and 1917. The publication reveals the boundless innovative power of the works of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. It also shows how the Cubist pictorial language was received and advanced by the artists of the Parisian avant-garde – such as Fernand Léger and Sonia Delaunay – and how it evolved into colourful large-format pictures. The volume reflects not only the enormous range of this stylistic direction but also its revolutionary potential, which went on to influence the further development of twentieth-century art. In chronologically and thematically devised chapters the publication shows how the influence of folk art and archaic sculpture as well as the works of Paul Cezanne initially became increasingly evident in the paintings of Picasso and Braque. From 1908 crystalline, geometric elements as it were, appear. Until 1911 the characteristic prismatically fragmented forms and an almost colourless austerity dominated. The new pictorial language was taken up by artists like Juan Gris, Fernand Leger, Robert and Sonia Delaunay and Henri Le Fauconnier, who developed and presented it in large formats in the Salon exhibitions of the Paris art world.

The Kunstmuseum Basel is the largest and most significant public art collection in Switzerland - and is also listed as a heritage site of national significance. It is also one of the oldest publicly accessible art collections in the world. Housed in three venues across Basel, the museum has artworks from the 15th century to the present day, including the largest collection of works by the Holbein family. Other artists and movements are also well represented, including Rembrandt, Impressionist artists such as Monet and Renoir, as well as modernist painters such as Klee and Picasso. Kunstmuseum Basel also has an active contemporary art programme, with acquisitions by William Kentridge and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye discussed in this book. Richly illustrated with engaging commentaries and insights by the museum's director, Josef Helfenstein, Director's Choice: Kunstmuseum Basel is an excellent highlights tour of this renowned collection and an introduction to the history of western art.

This is the first major exploration of the works of American abstract painter and watercolorist Suzan Frecon (b. 1941), critically acclaimed for her sensitive arrangement of color, form, and texture, and for the philosophical resonance of her art. By restricting herself to nonrepresentational forms, earth-based colors, and, in the case of her watercolors, “found” pieces of paper, Frecon achieves an unequaled sense of balance and openness in her work. The book features ten oil paintings and thirty watercolors dating from the late 1990s to 2007. form, color, illumination celebrates the uniqueness of Frecon's painting and articulates how her work distinguishes itself within the history of abstract painting. The authors describe in-depth how her artistic process and materials are an integral part of her focus and aesthetic. Included is an essay revealing the "ethics” of her aesthetics––an argument for abstraction and an attention to truth that is not divorced from social and environmental concerns. Distributed for The Menil CollectionExhibition Schedule:The Menil Collection, Houston (March 6 – May 11, 2008) Kunstmuseum Bern (June 11 – September 28, 2008)