(born 1930 in Wendorf) „Sandinsel“, titled on the reverse, signed, dated Uecker 70 and with directional arrow, nailing (nail heads in white) on sand over canvas, laid down on panel, 150 x 150 x 18.5 cm, (PS)

Provenance: Galerie Orangerie, Gerhard Reinz, Cologne Private collection, Germany Exhibitions: XXXV Biennale Internationale d‘Arte di Venezia, 24.6.-25.10.1970, no. 280 (Adhesive label on the reverse);Museum Folkwang Essen, 16.2.-12.4.1971; Zacheta, National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, 5.5.-25.5.1971 Literature: Dieter Honisch, Uecker, Stuttgart 1983, no. 665 (reproduction) Exhibition cat. Uecker, XXXV Biennale di Venezia 1970, Padiglione tedesco, Lenk, Mack, Pfahler, Uecker, curated by Dieter Honisch, published by Dr Dieter Honisch Museum Folkwang Essen 1970 (with ill., no page ref.) „Although applied in various ways and also by other artists, the nail has become Günther Uecker’s sign. To date he has used more than 100 tonnes of nails in his structural fields and in the over-nailing of everyday objects - more than a craftsman can use in his entire working life. He has used not only standard nails but also nails designed with proportions suited to his artistic intentions (...)”“Over an intensive 3-month working period Uecker created a series of 11 reliefs which appear to be a summation of his work to date: regular and irregular areas, spirals, the forms of islands and plantations, long, short, hammered-in and inverted nails, sand and ropes. His entire current repertoire is on display. And yet this series is something quite new (...) The later fields have become much freer, spontaneous and - simultaneously - more precisely laid out. Uecker also moves much more explicitly into real space with them. One senses not only the enormous level of experience and assuredness that Uecker has assumed in the meantime, but also a physical and psychological presence, such as is immanent only at the zenith of a life’s work.” (from: Dieter Honisch: Günter Uecker, exhibition catalogue Biennale di Venezia 1970)