F.C. Gundlach: Collection

Born in Germany in 1926, F. C. Gundlach is best known for his iconic fashion photography during the postwar period, but he is also a passionate art collector who created a remarkable compendium of photographs and multimedia art by famous contemporary artists. Accompanying an exhibition of Gundlach’s collection at the Contemporary Fine Arts gallery in Berlin, this catalog offers the first opportunity to reconstruct the view of photography as a medium in juxtaposition with these artists’ paintings and sculptures. Inspired by Albert Oehlen’s 1986 view that the medium of photography has the right to be thought-provoking, Gundlach acquired works by important artists–including Oehlen, Werner Buttner, Gunther Foerg, Sigmar Polke, and Georg Herold–whose anarchic will toward self-expression, wit, and caustic criticism were shaped into works of art that spanned a variety of media. Using illustrations and accompanying essays, this book provides insight into the spirit of the conditions under which these works were produced and presents an overview of the fascinating breadth of the medium of photography. Featuring a wealth of full-color illustrations, F. C. Gundlach Collection also includes a conversation among Gundlach, Wilhelm Schurmann, and Bruno Brunnet.