The Buchmann Box near Checkpoint Charlie is currently showing a series of large lithographic prints by celebrated American artist Richard Serra, most famous for his steel sculptures; great forged slabs that arc, twist and loom, forcing the viewer into an altered perception of space.

Serra has managed to replicate this giddying effect on spatial relationships on paper – the massive swathes of dense black ink are forceful, masculine even. They emanate a tension that draws the viewer in, closer inspection revealing a simple yet satisfying marriage between textured lithographic inks and thick Belgian paper. It’s a tactile experience.

Richard Serra talks of the effects of black:  “Black is a property, not a quality. In terms of weight, black is heavier, creates a larger volume, holds itself in a more compressed field. It is comparable to forging.” (Richard Serra, Notes on Drawing, Rizzoli, New York, 1987)

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Also of interest is Lawrence Carroll’s Back to the Cave solo show in the main Buchmann gallery, just across the road. Blending the boundaries between painting and sculpture, the elegant placement of the work is always at the forefront of Carroll’s mind.

Photography by Stephanie Third

Richard Serra, Buchmann Box

Charlottenstraße 75, Mitte, 10969 Berlin

Lawrence Carroll, Buchmann Galerie

Charlottenstraße 13, Mitte, 10969 Berlin

Both exhibitions showing until January 18 2014

http://www.buchmanngalerie.com/

Text: Louis Labron Johnson