19/11 2020 – 14/1/2021
Larkin Erdmann | Zurich | Swiss
The exhibition brings into dialogue two distinct yet closely connected positions within the language of Concrete Art. Carefully selected works highlight how each artist developed a highly personal interpretation of geometric abstraction, shaped by different intellectual and cultural influences while remaining committed to clarity, structure, and formal precision.
In the works presented, Max Bill’s practice reveals its characteristic rigor. His approach to abstraction is grounded in mathematical order, proportional systems, and a deep engagement with colour theory. Geometry, for Bill, is not merely visual but conceptual — a philosophical framework through which relationships between line, plane, and chromatic value unfold logically. His compositions embody balance and structural coherence, demonstrating a meticulous orchestration of elements that reflects his broader engagement with art, design, and architecture.
Placed in proximity, Verena Loewensberg’s works reveal both affinity and divergence. While formal similarities are evident in the shared commitment to constructive clarity, her paintings introduce a different sensibility. Loewensberg’s canvases are marked by bold chromatic decisions and a vibrant intensity that expands the emotional and perceptual dimensions of Concrete Art. Her technical mastery is matched by a remarkable sensitivity to colour interactions, allowing hue and form to generate rhythm and movement across the surface.
Where Bill’s constructions often foreground systematic logic, Loewensberg’s approach suggests a greater elasticity within the concrete framework. Encounters with artists in the United States broadened her visual vocabulary, encouraging a freer engagement with composition while maintaining structural discipline. The result is a body of work that feels simultaneously rigorous and luminous — precise yet open, controlled yet expansive.
Together, their works illuminate the richness of Concrete Art as a living and adaptable language. Rather than presenting a uniform doctrine, the exhibition reveals how shared principles can yield markedly different visual experiences. Through structure and colour, logic and intuition, the dialogue between Bill and Loewensberg underscores the enduring vitality of geometric abstraction and its capacity to accommodate both intellectual rigor and expressive nuance.