Reinhold Koehler

Reinhold Koehler is a German Abstractionist whose creative spirit was awakened by Kurt Schwitters. In the two decades after the Second World War and his untimely death in 1970, Koehler practiced the avant-garde movements of ZERO, 'Nouvelles Realités' and Matter-Painting. During the 1950s, Koehler developed the principle of 'décollage' into a radical expression of torn structures carved out from card by knife. Koehler's individual development of the 'décollage' technique bears testimony to his dedication to the aggressive-destructive moment and reduction, tamed by controlled masterly execution. Along those principles, Koehler forged a remarkable body of work including sand-paintings, works with broken glass and ceramics, and works created with burning forks.