BERLIN.- There is movement in the art scene of the capital and its surrounding area. With the internationally renowned artist and most important representative of kinetic sculpture George Rickey (1907 - 2002), the Sculpture Park of Schlossgut Schwante brings together several premieres: after three successful group exhibitions, it is the first solo show of an artist for the Sculpture Park, at the same time the first comprehensive presentation of Rickey's outdoor sculptures in and around Berlin and the first exhibition of his outdoor sculptures in Europe since 1982.

Dr. Loretta Würtenberger and Daniel Tümpel are very pleased about the multiple premieres associated with the solo exhibition:

“The sculpture park of Schlossgut Schwante offers Rickey's works the stage they deserve. Poetic and picturesque at the same time, his kinetic sculptures enter a symbiotic interplay with nature. We could not imagine an artist who has captured the philosophy of this landscape park with his art more precisely than George Rickey. This has been shown by the reactions to his work 'Three Squares Diagonal' in the first three annual exhibitions. It is always a pleasure to observe how long visitors pause in front of the three seemingly weightless aluminum squares and lose themselves in the moment.”

The last time a similar number of Rickey's outdoor sculptures were presented was in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 1982. Eight large-scale sculptures will be assembled at Schlossgut Schwante. The solo show features kinetic sculptures made of stainless steel that are set in motion by wind and gravity and interact with the light of the landscape and the natural elements. The annual program is complemented by regular guided tours, family and artist workshops, concerts and readings. This first solo show of the landscape garden in Schwante is surrounded by works from the permanent exhibition, including Jeewi Lee, Dan Graham, Carsten Nicolai, Susan Philips, Ulrich Rückriem and Anne Seubert.

George Rickey has a special relationship with the city of Berlin: Rickey ran a studio in Berlin for over 25 years and celebrated his 85th birthday in 1993 together with the German and international art scene in the Berlinische Galerie. Now his work is receiving a long overdue tribute in the Berlin area.

"For the artist, the motif is not the trees, not the flowers, not the landscape, but the swaying of the branches and the trembling of the trunks, the rising or falling of the clouds, the rising and setting, the growth and passing of the bodies of the sky."- George Rickey

The exhibition at the Schlossgut Schwante Sculpture Park offers the opportunity to experience the dynamic works of George Rickey in a natural context. The sculptures are spread across the ten-hectare site, which is surrounded by a historic 18th-century manor house. Visitors can view the sculptures from different perspectives and observe their changes throughout the day and the seasons.

The contemplative interplay between art and nature is the central concern of the Schlossgut Schwante Sculpture Park, founded in 2020, which provides a suitable setting for Rickey's work. Without the play, without the impetus, without the swaying, the drifting and rotating, without the motion sequences of nature, George Rickey's - as he himself called his works - "useless machines" would literally be that: useless. But through the drive of nature, through blowing winds and undulating water in Schwante, the works come to life.

George Rickey is considered one of the pioneers of kinetic art. He studied art history and painting at Oxford University and was influenced by constructivists such as Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner. After the Second World War, he began to create abstract sculptures made of metal that moved through natural forces. His works are characterised by a geometric simplicity and a technical precision that form a strong contrast to the random and playful movement of his forms. The work of the US American is represented in a number of internationally renowned and German collections, including MoMA New York, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, National Gallery of Art as well as the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C.

The exhibition is open from 3 June to 15 October 2023. Admission costs 12 euros. On 4 June, the opening party will be celebrated together with all guests: with live music, open restaurant and free admission. The Schlossgut Schwante Sculpture Park is a lively place for art, nature and enjoyment.

Interviews with Philip Rickey (George Rickey's son), Richard Benefield (Executive Director George Rickey Foundation) as well as Loretta Würtenberger (Founder Skulpturenpark Schlossgut Schwante) and artists of the permanent exhibition are available on request.