Book Design Jena Sher Jena Sher Graphic Design LLC [email protected] BLINKY PALERMO ABSTRACTION OF AN ERA OBJECTS, 1964–1974 PAINTING AWAY THE GERMAN WAY O F PA I N T I N G Christine Mehring 1 gXike\i#=iXeq;X_c\d#_X[fg\e\[k_\`i^Xcc\ip =i`\[i`Z_Xe[Df\cc\i`egXik`ZlcXi#Xe[_\\o_`Y`k\[Xk AXd\jAfpZ\ËjLcpjj\j#n_`Z__X[Y\\ejl^^\jk\[ `e^d\dY\ij#\XZ_jk\dd`e^]ifdX[`]]\i\ekfYa\Zk `Yc\jlggfikjk_Xkjk`Zbflk]ifdXefg\e\ogXej\f] j`^eXkli\ki`Xe^c\d\\kkf]fidXdXe`]\jkf$c`b\ k_i\\p\Xij\Xic`\iXe[_X[hl`Zbcpklie\[`k`ekfX k_\`i^Xcc\i`\jk_ifl^_flk_`jc`]\k`d\#\m\e]fccfn`e^ YpÈX^Xcc\i`jkÉkf`ek`dXk\#`kj\\dj#Xi\cXk`fen`k_ YpGXc\idf#c\Xem\ik`ZXccpX^X`ejkk_\nXcc`e]X`icp n_`k\nXcc#dXb`e^k_\dXgg\XikfY\_fm\i`e^ nfib`en_`Z_GXc\idfXggifgi`Xk\jXe[af`ejk_\ c\X[`e^m\el\]fiZfek\dgfiXipXikYp8d\i`ZXej =i`\[i`Z_kfE\nPfib#n_\i\k_\[\Xc\i\jkXYc`j_\[X 9\lpjËj(0-(gifgfjXckf\ok\e[k_\efm\c%*,K_\ \m\e`ek\imXcj%K_\Xcclj`fekf9\lpjËj`ejkXccXk`fejf] k_\i\%((-N`k_`kj`ii\^lcXiflkc`e\#jc`^_kcpXjpdd\k$ dXafiZfdgfe\ekjf]_`jfYa\Zkj%K_\Xik`jk_\i\ Xe[pfle^>\idXej%K_\^Xcc\ipËjjkXYc\f]Xik`jkj E\nPfibYiXeZ_Xe[\m\eklXccp]fle[\[k_\;`X8ik Ôijki\kifjg\Zk`m\ZXkXcf^l\]ifdk_\>Xc\i`\$M\i\`e cfe^#Xe^c\[jkX]]jniXgg\[`e]\ckc\Xe`e^X^X`ejkX i`ZXcj_Xg\#Xe[`ejkXccXk`fe_`^_fek_\nXcc#>iXl\ kffZ_Xcc\e^\[_`jY\^`ee`e^jYp]Xd`c`Xid\Xej1k_\ [li`e^k_\(0-'j`eZcl[\[;Xe=cXm`e#NXck\i;\ =fle[Xk`fen`k__`je\nn`]\#G_`c`ggX[\D\e`c%** Xcjf`eZcl[\[Xi\gi`ekf]k_\Lcpjj\jgXjjX^\%9\lpj nXcc#n\ccbefne]ifd\o_`Y`k`fejjlZ_Xj;fZld\ekX JZ_\`Y\#c`b\k_i\\j`d`cXicpj_Xg\[fYa\Zkj]ifd jkX]]Xjk_\^ifle[]figX`ek`e^efn]fiXkkXZ_`e^X DXi`X#=i\[JXe[YXZb#Xe[>\i_Xi[I`Z_k\i#Xe[ @]9\lpj]XZ`c`kXk\[GXc\idfËj\ekip`ekfk_\ cffdjcXi^\fm\ik_\glYc`ZXk`feÇ`eXj\hl\eZ\f] +Ô^%(+ #`jYcXkXek%Lec`b\k_\Lcpjj\ji\]\i\eZ\# (0.'#j\\dji\d`e`jZ\ekf]XZcfl[2`e[\\[#GXc\idf j\kf]d`e`$gX`ek`e^j #Zfejg`ZlfljZfcfi#Z_fgg\[$ cXe[dXib`ejkXccXk`fejjlZ_Xj;\DXi`XËj<Xik_ >\idXeXiknfic[#k_Xknfic[`eklieY\^Xekfj\\ g_fkf^iXg_jf]k_\knfXik`jkj#`eZcl[`e^k_\ÈXZk`m$ k_fl^_#k_\jkX]]nXjfeGXc\idfËjd`e[kff% Xe[_`j]i`\e[jXggXi\ekcpi\]\ii\[kf`kafb`e^cp f]]ki`Xe^c\j#`ii\^lcXi`k`\jf]dXelXcdXb`e^# IffdXe[D\c9fZ_e\iËjD\Xjli\d\ekIffdn\i\ GXc\idfjfc\cp`ek\idjf]9\lpj%GXc\idfi\gfik\[cp `jkÉ`dX^\j\\Ô^%0 2`ek_\k\okj#n_`Z__Xm\j\m\iXc XjX^iXl\Nfcb\#È^iXpZcfl[%É@e]XZk#X_`^_jZ_ffc j\i`Xc`kp#Xe[k_\c`b\% ÔijkdX[\]fi`kjiffdj%;X_c\dc\]kk_\^Xcc\ipX Y\c`\m\[k_Xk_`jifc\Xj9\lpjËjD\`jk\ijZ_c\i i\]\i\eZ\jkf9\lpj2`ei\gif[lZk`fejf]eld\iflj 1"*/5&%45"''4 '03+#&6:4 ]i`\e[#?\iY\ikEfck\#[\jZi`Y\[Xafb\gcXp\[fe N_p[`[GXc\idfkXb\fe9\lpj#IfdXek`Z`jd# p\XiX]k\iGXc\idfËjÔijk\o_`Y`k`fek_\i\#Xe[ [`jkfik\[k_\g\iZ\gk`fef]_`jgX`ek`e^j#p\k\o_`$ [iXn`e^jk_XkY\XiXjkife^i\j\dYcXeZ\kf9\lpjËj Jli\cpk_\dfjk`dgfikXekc\jjfeGXc\idfc\Xie\[ GXc\idfYp_`j]i`\e[j#`eZcl[`e^I`Z_k\iXe[ \ogi\jj`fe`jd#Xe[k_\jg`i`klXcXcckf^\k_\i_\i\#Xe[ =i`\[i`Z_jlYj\hl\ekcpiXe`kn`k__`jn`]\#J`o Y`k`feZXkXcf^l\j]ifdk_\(0.'jfeZfej`jk\ekcp nfibfegXg\i2Xe[`ek_\[\Z`j`fekf`ccljkiXk\X ]ifd9\lpjnXjkfXjb#Xj9\lpj[`[#Èn_p]fidj KX[\ljq#n_`c\k_\Xik`jknXj`ejkXcc`e^>iXl\JZ_\`Y\ X^X`eXe[X^X`efm\ik_\k\ep\Xij_\nXjdXb`e^ =i`\[i`Z_#le[\ik_\eXd\>Xc\i`\?\`e\i=i`\[i`Z_# i\g\Xk\[k_`j`e]fidXk`fe`ek_\`iY`f^iXg_`\j%*+ cXi^\eldY\if]fYa\ZkjXkk_\\og\ej\f]GXc\idfËj cffbXZ\ikX`enXpÉ1n_Xkkpg\jf]dXk\i`XcjXi\lj\[ ]fiXe`dgfikXekm`j`kYpk_\Zfcc\ZkfiBXicJki_\i% fYa\Zkj6=fiGXc\idf#n_XknXjXkjkXb\nXjefk_`e^ n`k_X[[`k`feXc_\cgcXk\ife]ifd=i\[AX_eXe[ LjlXccpXeXik`jk`Zb`ej_`gY\kn\\ek\XZ_\iXe[jkl$ fk_\infib^iflgj#n_`Z_Xi\i\gi\j\ek\[YpfecpX Xe[n_p#n_Xkk_\pgifmfb\#n_Xkk_\pYi`e^XYflk%*. ÈN_\e_\RGXc\idfT_Xgg\e\[kfY\XnXp#k_\p c\jjk_Xek_\jkXkljf]>\idXeXikÇ`kj[\Ôe`k`fe# JXY`e\Beljk%@e(0.'XYiXeZ_nXjfg\e\[`e [\eknXj]fi^\[dfi\jlYkcpk_fl^_#]fi\oXdgc\ _Xe[]lcf]\oXdgc\j% K_`jc\jjfeYfi\]il`kfecpcXk\i#k_fl^_#`e^iflgj kffb[fnek_\Zcfl[%8e[k_\p_X[k_\j\_p[iXlc`Z c\^XZp#Xe[gifjg\ZkÇ]fik_\j\kiX[`k`fej#d\[`Xk\[ :fcf^e\le[\ik_\[`i\Zkfij_`gf]K_fi[`jDf\cc\i% k_ifl^_k_\`eZclj`fe`ek_\(0.*\o_`Y`k`feXe[ZXk$ Fe\g_fkf^iXg_f]fYa\ZkjnX`k`e^kfY\_le^`jf] f]nfibjk_XkXi\i\cXk\[efk`ejkpc`jk`Zk\idjYlk \c\mXkfijkfXiiXe^\k_\`igX`ek`e^j#Xe[k_\p_le^`k Yp9\lpjXe[fk_\iZfek\dgfiXipXik`jkj#]fid\[ GXc\idf[\m\cfg\[Zcfj\k`\jn`k_Xcck_\[\Xc\ij# Xcf^l\jlim\p`e^GXc\idfËjfYa\Zkjf]XgXjjX^\]ifd gXik`ZlcXi`ek\i\jk_\i\Ô^%(* %*-=flinff[\e]iXd$ k_ifl^_k_\`i_`jkfi`ZXccpd\Xe`e^]lclj\f]XYjkiXZk lgk_i\\d\k\ij_`^_fek_\nXcc%8e[k_\eRn_\e k_\g`ccXijf]df[\ieXik`e>\idXep%@e_`jj\i`\jf] _\i\klie\[Tk_\p[ifm\_`dXcck_\nXplgkfk_\ \jjXpj\ek`kc\[È>\idXe8ik18E\n>\e\iXk`feÉ Z\`c`e^f]k_\_Xccn`k_k_`j_p[iXlc`Zk_`e^Xe[c\k [Xk`e^]ifdk_\cXk\(0-'jXe[\Xicp(0.'j#k_\Zi`k`Z _`dni`^^c\k_\i\%É((.N`k_k_\jg`i`klXcXjg\Zk Ifc]$>lek\i;`\ejkcXd\ek\[k_Xk\ogi\jj`fe`jd_X[ glj_\[kfnXi[Xc`k\iXc#Z_`c[c`b\i\gi\j\ekXk`fef] Zfd\kf[\Ôe\k_\`ek\ieXk`feXc`dX^\f]>\idXe k_\jbp#n\af`eGXc\idfXe[_`j]i`\e[j`e_Xm`e^ Xik%()'@eXgfc`k`ZXcXe[ZlckliXcZc`dXk\\X^\ikf X^ff[cXl^_Xkk_\XYjfigk`fef]XYjkiXZkXik`jkj`e i\Zfee\Zkn`k_k_\ZflekipËjgi\]XjZ`jkgXjk#\ogi\j$ k_\jg`i`klXci\Xcd% j`fe`jkj[fd`eXk\[k_\Ôijk;fZld\ekX\o_`Y`k`fe `e(0,,#XcXe[dXib`ek_\]fidXk`fef]k_\gfjkÆ 5)&(&3."/8":0'1"*/5*/( EXk`feXcJfZ`Xc`jk>\idXeXiknfic[%8kk_\jXd\ Jfd\f]GXc\idfËjfYa\Zkj`ek\in\Xm\k_\]lcc k`d\#\ogi\jj`fe`jkgX`ek`e^\og\i`\eZ\[Xi\m`mXc jg\Zkildf]k_\ZlckliXci\]\i\eZ\jn\_Xm\Y\\e Xdfe^pfle^XYjkiXZkgX`ek\ij%K_\]fliXik`jkjf] \ogcfi`e^`ek_`jZ_Xgk\iÇk_\Xikf]9\lpj#>\idXe k_\HlX[i`^X^iflgÇB%F%>kq#Fkkf>i\`j#?\`eq IfdXek`Z`jd#\ogi\jj`fe`jd#Xe[k_\jg`i`klXcÇ Bi\lkq#Xe[9\ie_Xi[JZ_lckq\ÇdX[\k_\`i[\Ylk k_ifl^_XZfdY`eXk`fef]]\Xkli\j#jlZ_Xj`ii\^lcXi fek_\>\idXeXikjZ\e\`e(0,)n`k_k_\\o_`Y`k`fe flkc`e\jfik_\ZfcfiYcl\%K_\dfjk`dgfikXekf] E\f$<ogi\jj`fe`jk\eXkk_\Q`dd\i^Xc\i`\=iXeb\ k_\j\`jXelek`kc\[fYa\Zkefn`ek_\Zfcc\Zk`fef] `e=iXeb]lik#j_fn`e^cXi^\$jZXc\XYjkiXZkgX`ek`e^j k_\;`X8ik=fle[Xk`feÔ^%*- %((/GXc\idfi\m`j$ Ôcc\[n`k_[\dfejkiXk`m\Yilj_nfibXe[k_\Xki`ZXc `k\[`kXkc\XjkfeZ\k_i\\p\XijX]k\i_\ÔijkdX[\ ^\jkli\j%()(CXk\i#@e]fid\cfiKXZ_`jkgX`ek`e^#fi`^$ `k1efk\jXe[Xjb\kZ_fek_\m\ijfi\m\Xck_Xk_\Zfi$ `eXccp[\m\cfg\[`eGXi`jYp>\idXe\ogXki`Xk\j i\Zk\[k_\fi`^`eXc[Xk\f](0-+kf(0-.Xe[XYXe$ NfcjXe[?Xej?Xikle^Xdfe^fk_\ij#Y\ZXd\gfg$ [fe\[_`jfi`^`eXc`[\Xf]alokXgfj`e^`kn`k_X lcXi`e>\idXep2`knXj\o_`Y`k\[#]fi\oXdgc\#Xk jhlXi\$j_Xg\[fYa\Zk%((0GXc\idfZXi\[XYflkk_`j ;fZld\ekX)`e(0,0#Xe[`knXjhl`Zbcp`ejk`klk`fe$ leljlXcnfib1XefiXe^\m\ik`ZXcjkX]]aljkfm\iknf Xc`q\[1dXib\k\[Yp`dgfikXek[\Xc\ijc`b\A\Xe$ Fig. 12 Akademierundgang Fig. 13 Widenmayerstrasse, Fig. 14 Joseph Beuys, room Eurasienstäbe (Eurasian Staffs) d\k\ij`ec\e^k_k_XkjlggfikjÔm\jc`^_kcp`ii\^l$ G`\ii\N`c_\cd#Zfcc\Zk\[YpdXafidlj\ldj# Fig. 36 Untitled (Wvz 50), exhibition, Kunstakademie 1980, from Blinky Palermo, at Documenta 4, 27 June– and Filzwinkel (Felt Angles) cXin_`k\i\ZkXe^c\jf][`]]\i\ekj`q\j#\XZ_gX`ek\[ Xe[kXl^_kXkk_\c\X[`e^XZX[\dp>kqXe[k_\ 1964!67. Casein on Nessel Düsseldorf, c. 1966!67 1964!1976, p. 48 6 October 1968, with works dating from 1964!67. Part of over wood, 218.8 x 27.1 x 5.2 cm. drawn largely from perfor- Block Beuys, Hessisches n`k_k_\]iX^d\ekf]XelgnXi[$]XZ`e^Ycl\ki`Xe^c\% @e]fid\c$`ejg`i\[jZlcgkfi>\i_Xi[?f\_d\ Dia Art Foundation, New York. mances, including Landesmuseum, Darmstadt. K_\9\lpj`XejkX]]#k_\IfdXek`Z]iX^d\ek#Xe[k_\ XZZ\gk\[k\XZ_`e^gfj`k`fejXkk_\;jj\c[fi] 14 Objects, 1964 – 1974 Objects, 1964 – 1974 15 40 Objects, 1964 – 1974 Objects, 1964 – 1974 41 Blinky Palermo Abstraction of an Era Yale University Press (8" x 10", 298 pages) ZfcfiÔ\c[j#Y\ZXlj\k_\i\n\i\`ebjgfkjfe`k2 k_Xek\ed\k\ijcfe^ dXp_Xm\`ejg`i\[Xe[]XZ`c`$ Le`k\[JkXk\jÇY\^XejkfZb`e^Xik`Zc\j`egi\Z`j\cp fk_\ijdXp_Xm\Y\\e[\jkifp\[fi[XdX^\[Y\ZXlj\ kXk\[k_`jj\i`Xc_Xe^`e^Xe[#Xcfe^n`k_k_\k`^_k k_\Yi`^_kj_X[\jk_XkGXc\idfËjZcfk_g`Zkli\jZXg$ k_\p[`[efk`eZcl[\k_\gifk\Zk`m\ZXemXj`ek\i]XZ`e^# jgXZ`e^f]XYflkk_`ikpZ\ek`d\k\ijY\kn\\eZcfk_ kli\%È9lekÉnXjXcck_\iX^\]fi_fd\[\ZfiXk`fe# n_`Z_nXjk_\ZXj\#]fi\oXdgc\#n`k_Xcfjkg`eb g`Zkli\j#`knflc[ZfejkXekcp_Xm\]fiZ\[m`\n\ijkf Zcfk_`e^#Xe[X[m\ik`j`e^Xc`b\Ô^j%+-#+.