Charlotte Posenenske Germany, 1930-1985

Charlotte Posenenske (1930–1985) developed a distinct and rigorous artistic practice within postwar European Minimalism. Working intensively between the mid-1950s and 1968, she produced a body of work that redefined the relationship between sculpture, architecture, and participation. Her practice was grounded in serial production, the use of industrial materials, and a consistent inquiry into the social conditions of art-making. 

Posenenske’s turn away from traditional painterly means led her to materials such as sheet metal, corrugated cardboard, and spray paint. The resulting works—often modular, adaptable, and reminiscent of architectural or infrastructural elements—were conceived as open systems rather than fixed objects. Many of her series could be assembled and reconfigured in multiple ways, inviting viewers to alter their arrangement and spatial impact. This emphasis on variability and collective engagement was articulated by Posenenske in her call for “Schluss mit der Ichigkeit” (an end to the “I”), signaling a decisive step away from the singular authorial gesture. 

Her practice was closely tied to questions of seriality, standardization, and production. By proposing works that functioned as prototypes and could exist in unlimited series, she challenged prevailing assumptions about uniqueness, permanence, and the autonomy of the artwork. Participation—not only in viewing but in the physical configuration of the works—was integral to her approach, reflecting her interest in the social dimensions of artistic practice. 

Posenenske’s first exhibition with Konrad Fischer took place in 1967 and was the second exhibition ever presented at the gallery, establishing an early and formative relationship between the artist and the program. The momentum of this period culminated in 1968, when she withdrew from artistic production, convinced that art, as it was then constituted, could not adequately address urgent social and political realities. She subsequently trained and worked as a sociologist, focusing on labor and industrial processes—concerns that had already shaped the conceptual and material framework of her sculptures. 

Although she ceased producing new artworks, Posenenske’s practice continued to exert a lasting influence. Her work has been the subject of major institutional retrospectives and survey presentations, including the comprehensive exhibition Charlotte Posenenske: Work in Progress, organized by Dia Art Foundation at Dia:Beacon in 2019 and later presented at Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen and additional European venues. Her practice has also been highlighted in key international exhibitions such as documenta 12 in Kassel (2007), In & Out of Amsterdam: Travels in Conceptual Art, 1960–1976 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2009), and presentations at the São Paulo Biennial. Her work is represented in major public collections, including Centre Pompidou, Paris; Tate Modern, London; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; and Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin.