Gerd Reutter

Clay and bronze sculptures

Ceramic sculptures

Gerd Reutter's ceramic sculptures are part of an artistic tradition that began at the start of the 20th century.

The conception and formal execution of his sculptures are determined by the material-specific properties of clay. In a statement, he said of his preference for this material: ''Clay is the oldest material used in art. Shaping clay with your hands is an experience. For me, clay still has to be recognizable as clay even after the sculpture has been completed.

Prof. Dr. Manfred Fath,
Director of the Kunsthalle Mannheim, 1982-2002
(Catalog 2001-2003)

Photo: Manfred Rinderspacher ©

Curriculum Vitae

  • 1931 Born in Rastatt (Germany)
  • 1945 - 1948 Painting apprenticeship in Neustadt/Aisch (Germany)
  • 1948 - 1958 Journeyman years in Germany, Switzerland, France
  • 1958 - 1991 Independent food retailer
  • since 1991 Artist
Gerd Reutter with his wife and muse Marianne Reutter in his studio (Photo: Thomas Lohnes ©)

Gerd Reutter only discovered his creative love of clay sculpture after his retirement on his 60th birthday in 1991. His visionary imagination and fantasy, which he devotes exclusively to non-figurative art, is all the more astonishing.

Mannheimer Morgen (September 23, 1994)

Gerd Reutter's sculptures demonstrate the wealth of shapes that can be created from clay.

Die Rheinpfalz (September 23, 1996)

Through the untreated surface and the consistent use of the oldest art material of all, clay, Reutter achieves the creation of new spaces that can almost effortlessly evoke associations with the stages of the theater and with the spatial dimensions of literature.

Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung (September 2001)

Exhibitions

  • 2022 SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 2019 SWISS-ART-EXPO, Zurich Participation
  • 2018 ARTBOX.PROJECT, New York Participation
  • 2018 FASZINATION SKULPTUR, Ludwigshafen Participation
  • 2016 ART FAIR, Cologne Participation
  • 2016 ARTBaho, Barcelona Participation
  • 2016 Hartexpo, Barcelona Participation
  • 2016 Salon Primavera, Barcelona Participation
  • 2016 ART nou mil Lenni, Barcelona Participation
  • 2011 Sewage plant Niederrad, Frankfurt Participation
  • 2011 Beer Cellar of the Old Brewery, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 2009 Sewage plant Niederrad, Frankfurt Participation
  • 2008 Art of Variety, Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe Group Exhibition
  • 2008 BACKYARD CULTURE - HOFKULTUR, Neustadt/Weinstr. Group Exhibition
  • 2007 400 Anniversary Water Tower, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 2007 Kleinplastik, Hilden Participation
  • 2007 Leibniz-Institute of German Language, Mannheim Participation
  • 2006 "KleinForm", Art house Oggersheim, Ludwigshafen Group Exhibition
  • 2006 Gallery at the Prediger, Schwaebisch Gmuend Group Exhibition
  • 2006 Society of Arts Upper Neckar, Horb Group Exhibition
  • 2006 City Gallery, Meersburg Group Exhibition
  • 2005 St. Peter's Church, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 2004 Ernst-Bloch-Zentrum, Ludwigshafen Individual Exhibition
  • 2003 International Art fair Westfalenhalle, Dortmund Participation
  • 2003 XYLON - MUSEUM - WERKSTÄTTE, Schwetzingen Participation
  • 2003 Studio exhibition together with Ursula Steuler, Mannheim Group Exhibition
  • 2002 Keramik, Offenburg Participation
  • 2002 Studio exhibition Paul & Gerd, Mannheim Group Exhibition
  • 2001 Rudolf-Scharpf-Gallery, Ludwigshafen Individual Exhibition
  • 2000 6th Biennale Kleinplastik, Hilden Participation
  • 1998 5th Biennale Kleinplastik, Hilden Participation
  • 1998 Historical cellar of vaults, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 1997 Remigiushaus, Otterstatt/Speyer Group Exhibition
  • 1997 Museum of Modern Art, Sochi Russia Group Exhibition
  • 1996 CEK Gallery, Karlsruhe Individual Exhibition
  • 1996 Historical cellar of vaults, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
  • 1995 Ostrowski Museum, Sochi Russia Group Exhibition
  • 1995 German-American Institute, Heidelberg Group Exhibition
  • 1994 Historical cellar of vaults, Mannheim Individual Exhibition
Photo: Manfred Rinderspacher ©, photos above: private

Reutter's sculptures unfold a realm of different forces, whose dynamics challenge the viewer to look very closely.

Dr. Lida von Mengden, Wilhelm-Hack-Museum Ludwigshafen

Reutter masters the ambivalence between impressive monumentality and familiar dimensionality like almost no other sculptor working with architectural metaphors.

Dr. Jochen Kronjäger, Kunsthalle Mannheim

His ceramic sculptures provide three-dimensionality down to the smallest detail, emphasize the play of light and shadow and give the sculptures an impression of a kind of incompleteness, an original, primeval power.

Werner Marx, Kunsthalle Mannheim

Catalogs

  • 2021 SKULPTUREN -
    ZEICHEN DER ZEIT     Text: Dr. Peter Kurz, Dr. Klaus Kufeld, Dr. Milan Chlumsky, Dr. Inge Herold, Dr. Jochen Kronjäger, Thomas Reutter, Anastasia Schmidt, Werner Marx, Dr. Thomas Köllhofer
  • 2007 SKULPTUREN
    zur Mannheimer 400-Jahr-Feier     Text: Dr. Werner Kany, Gabi Dewald
  • 2004 ENDE UND WIEDERBEGINN Text: Dr. Klaus Kufeld, Peter Ruf, Prof. Dr. Manfred Fath, Dr. Inge Herold, Dr. Thomas Köllhofer, Dr. Rainer Lawicki, Werner Marx, Dr. Jochen Kronjäger
  • 2001 SKULPTUREN Text: Dr. Lida von Mengden
  • 1998 SKULPTUREN Text: Dr. Jochen Kronjäger, Dr. Thomas Köllhofer
  • 1995 TONSKULPTUREN Text: Werner Marx
  • 1994 TONSKULPTUREN Text: Dr. Ekkart Klinge

Catalogs to click through (only in German)

Photo: Manfred Rinderspacher ©

Gerd Reutter's studio in Mannheim

Photo: Thomas Lohnes ©

360°-Panorama (2009)

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