Die Erfindung der Neuen Wilden

More about the book

The publication aims to provide a fresh perspective on the “Neue Wilde” phenomenon, shifting the focus from the artists' paintings to the dynamic interplay between artists, gallerists, collectors, and art historians that fueled the painting boom. It emphasizes the personal backgrounds and contexts in which these painters operated, arguing that their practices were not simply a return to traditional panel painting. Instead, painting was part of a broader artistic network characterized by a blurring of high and popular culture, diverse media, genres, and collaborative practices. The work highlights previously overlooked photographic and documentary materials, including artists’ posters, records, newspapers, video works, and artists’ books, showcasing the artists' experimental nature and their connections to self-organized subcultures like the punk and new wave scenes of the 1980s. This approach reveals the commonly cited “return” to painting as a simplistic narrative, while offering a more nuanced understanding of the artistic landscape around 1980. Contributions come from various authors, including Thomas Bayrle, Andreas Beitin, and others.