Vjenceslav Richter
(1917-2002)
Spatial Structure II, 1972
aluminium, glass
62 x 62 cm
MG-3324

Vjenceslav Richter graduated in architecture in 1949 from the Institute of Technology in Zagreb. He is also known for his work in the fields of urbanism, sculpture, graphic art, painting, set and stage design, and art theory. Richter was a key figure on Croatia’s art scene of the second half of the 20th century, whose work in architecture and art occupies an important place in European art history. He is known for his great synthesis of the arts and for promoting Constructivism consistently.
He was one of the founding members of the EXAT 51 group of painters and architects, and was actively involved in the New Tendencies international art movement. He is the author of a number of internationally acclaimed architecture projects, such as exhibition pavilions in Brussels, Turin and Milan. He experimented with researching new potentialities in the field of the fine arts with a view to synthesising the various fields of the visual arts.
In 1962 Richter began researching the medium of sculpture based on the principles of Systemic Sculpture built from a series of identical serial parts whose numerous variants form new sculptural objects. His Spatial Structure II geometric sculpture from 1972 consists of a glass cube within which identical aluminium wires are placed with geometric precision, with the transparent space of the sculpture rhythmised by the differently shaped and twisted aluminium wires.

Text:Tatijana Gareljić, Museum consultant of the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Translated by: Ana Janković
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb