Franz Erhard Walther

Fünf Räume, 1972

Franz Erhard Walther radicalized the body-space-relationship theme in his works allowing the visitor to play an active role in the creation of the work. Walther conceived the Fünf Räume [Five spaces] sculpture during his New York years and, after his return, installed it for the first time in the open expanses of the upper Rhön Mountains. The human body serves as a reference for size and proportion for his work. The Fünf Räume sculpture turns fundamental human positions and forms of communication into the subject of debate, although, in this case, the protagonists have no eye contact with the other participants, which is exceptional for Walther’s works of this period. The narrowest of the five spaces provides one person with a sculpturally defined area for self-contemplation, and an invitation to engage in a dialogue with the space. The bigger spaces supplement this by the quality of shared experience and perception. Recently, his artistic work is receiving considerable international recognition. At last 2017, when Franz Erhard Walther was awarded with the Golden Lion for best artist of the exhibition “Viva Arte Viva” at the 57th Venice Biennale, Italy, where two of his participative textile objects are currently shown (May 13 – November 26, 2017).