About the Work
A surging wave crashes down from the painting’s upper edge and swirls around the centre in a black and white vortex. Its circular course bursts the work’s bounds, abruptly changes direction and, at right angles to the vortex’s diagonal plane, rushes out at the bottom right. The lively dynamic achieved by the rapid execution is most evident in the variation. In these paintings, executed with a squeegee – a wooden tool with a rubber blade – the destruction of form and material by throwing, scratching and smearing the paint reflects the urge of Art Informel to dissolve classical formal elements.
About the Acquisition
In 2010 the Städel Museum in Frankfurt acquired four main works of contemporary German art through a donation by Dorette Hildebrand-Staab. Despite the prevailing opinion at that time, the donor had recognised the significance of Georg Baselitz early on and encouraged and supported the artist for many years. The four paintings donated to the Städel collection had already been purchased by the patron in the 1960s - in part directly from the artist's own private collection.
