The latest addition to the Olla Art collection is a work by Günther Förg from 2003, entitled ‘Baum’ (tree). It is a large etching on wove paper, coloured with watercolour.
The work comes from a portfolio entitled Schmerztransformationen (pain transformations), published in 2004 by Thomapyrin Kunstedition. Thomapyrin is a pain reliever, produced by the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
Pain experiences as a theme
The Schmerztransformationen portfolio, which was produced in an edition of 100 pieces and was offered for 14,500 euros (12,500 euros by early subscription), contained twelve graphic works by Horst Antes, Elvira Bach, Bram Bogart, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Corneille, Felix Droese, Günther Förg, Alfred Hrdlicka, Salomé, Bernhard Schultze, Stefan Szczesny and Max Uhlig, and a bronze relief by Stephan Balkenhol. The participating artists incorporated their individual pain experiences as a theme in the artworks. The proceeds of the portfolio went to Unicef, to an educational project for needy children in Bangladesh. The vernissage of the portfolio took place on 13 May 2004 in the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. A report of this can be found here.
Günther Förg, Baum, 2003
Etching with watercolour on wove, 99.6 x 74.7 cm (sheet)
Some of the works of art included in the portfolio were individually edited by the artists, so that they have become unique works. This also applies to the etching by Günther Förg, which has been treated with watercolour.
Earlier initiative
In 1998, on the occasion of Thomapyrin’s 50th birthday, the Boehringer Ingelheim company published, in collaboration with Bunte magazine, another portfolio, containing graphic work by Georg Baselitz, Sandro Chia, Jörg Immendorf, Markus Lüpertz, Heinz Mack, A.R. Penck, Antoni Tapies, Rosemarie Trockel, Günther Uecker and Tom Wesselmann. This was also an action for the benefit of Unicef, in this case to fund a program for traumatized children in Rwanda. The proceeds of this portfolio, which was titled ‘Meine Kindheit – Schmerz und Heilung’, was 500,000 German marks at the time.
Information
More work by Günther Förg in our collection and a short biography can be found here.
Also read our newsletter about Günther Förg’s work.