Artwork Description

Title: Kreuze 25 sw
Artist: Reiner Kallhardt
Date: 2008
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 39.4 x 39.4 in (100 x 100 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Kreuze 25 sw is a striking black-and-white composition by Reiner Kallhardt, consisting of 25 grid-based cross structures arranged in a strict 5 x 5 formation. Each cross is constructed with layered horizontal and vertical bars of varying density and rhythm, creating a dynamic interplay of form within a monochromatic framework.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
This work exemplifies Kallhardt’s commitment to the principles of Concrete and Constructivist Art, where geometry, order, and formal logic replace narrative or emotional content. The systematic modulation of line thickness and density recalls the influence of Max Bill, Josef Albers, and the visual logic of serial minimalism. The “sw” designation—short for “schwarz-weiß” (black-white)—emphasizes the chromatic austerity that enhances its visual rigor.

3. Historical Context
Executed in 2008, Kreuze 25 sw is part of Kallhardt’s broader investigation into serial structures and permutation within fixed systems. This work reflects a mature stage in the artist’s career, characterized by a paring-down of color to explore pure form and optical rhythm, reinforcing his position within the post-war German Concrete Art tradition.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The artwork is in very good condition. The paint surface is stable and well preserved, with no signs of cracking, fading, or restoration. The stark black forms retain their matte depth against the crisp white background.

6. Artistic Significance
Kreuze 25 sw stands as a prime example of Kallhardt’s intellectual and visual discipline. Its clarity of form and the mathematical logic behind the variations within repetition make it a compelling statement on perception and structure. As a monochromatic work, it offers a powerful meditation on contrast and modular complexity, appealing to collectors of Concrete Art, minimalism, and systems-based abstraction.