“…silence, which transcends language. This has been a constant in all phases of my work.” — Irma Blank

This is the first major monographic publication dedicated to the work of German painter, Irma Blank (b. 1934) gathering a large selection of works from all her series, from the 1960s to the most recent ones initiated in 2017. It also includes work from her well-known Radical Writings series.

Blank reflects the artist’s dedication to a minimal process of writing without words that questions the boundaries of communication and expression. She found out that ‘there is no such thing as the right word’ and started off working on her first abstract series at the end of the 1960s.

The book is a chronological journey through her cyclical work, in which each series is an almost ascetic dedication to an emptied form of calligraphy. Some of the works are reproduced on a 1:1 scale allowing the reader a more intimate contact with the work.

Features a recent conversation between Irma Blank and Hans-Ulrich Obrist.

Published on occasion of the 2019-2021 touring exhibition, Irma Blank: Blank at Culturgest (Lisbon), MAMCO (Geneva), CAPC (Bordeaux), CCA (Tel Aviv), ICA (Milan), Museo Villa Dei Cedri (Bellinzona), and Bombas Gens Centre d’Art (Valencia).

Co-published with Lionel Bovier (MAMCO Director).