KASSEL.- To mark the 70th anniversary of documenta, the Fridericianum is presenting Robert Grosvenor’s first institutional solo exhibition in Germany and the first comprehensive museum presentation of his work in Europe in two decades. Born in New York in 1937, the artist, who participated in documenta in 1977 and 1987, developed his sculptural practice in the 1960s, when minimal art was emerging as an artistic movement. He took part in the exhibitions Primary Structures (1966) at the Jewish Museum in New York and Minimal Art (1968) at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague—two milestones of the movement. His early works are characterized by a reduced formal language that combines industrial materials and clear geometric structures. However, his practice continued to evolve. Grosvenor’s work, which also includes drawings and photographs, therefore defies categorization and captivates with its idiosyncrasy, range, and uncompromising nature. His oeuvre often combines strict construction with improvised elements, and technical precision with poetic openness. Abstract works meet seemingly more concrete, more tangible objects that resemble architectures or vehicles removed from time.

The exhibition at the Fridericianum shows some thirty works from all phases of Grosvenor’s career—from the early clear, minimalist forms to the experimental, often playful sculptures of the following decades. In addition to his participation in documenta 6 (1977) and documenta 8 (1987), he took part in numerous other international exhibitions, including the Biennale d’art contemporain de Lyon (2003), the Whitney Biennial in New York (2010) and the 59th Venice Biennale (2022). Grosvenor’s work can be found in the collections of institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Astrup Fearnley Museet in Oslo.

Supported by the Hessian Cultural Foundation and the Karin und Uwe Hollweg Stiftung.