source: rogallery

Rainer Gross was born and educated in Cologne, Germany. He came to the United States in 1973. At tnat time he worked with Howard Kanovitz and later with Larry Rivers He has exhibited with German galleries and last season at the Tower. His work is represented in numerous private collections. Mr. Gross’ excellent draftsmanship and subtle color sense are evident in his acrylics on paper. His paintings and drawings interpret Americana charged witn allegorical and classical allusions. A still life of lilies and carnations is paired with a background of Roman mosaic depicting dancing figures. “TV. II Baroque”, a six by nine foot mixed media on canvas, shows Rubens’ inspired images pouring forth from the screen of a Sony television. Mr. Gross’ imagery and style maintains a foothold in pre-Renaissance painting traditions and grasps the candor and gloved social commentary of Pop art and Photo-Realism He describes his direction best as “…. personal improvisations with themes in art history. I consider myself a student of paintings. I see no conceit in quoting from the past.”
The copying of re-rendering ot old masters has a long and venerable history. The Romans copied the Greeks, the Renaissance masters copied the Romans and the academicians ot the 19th century copies the Renaissance masters. More recently, such stellar figures as Van Gogh, Cezanne and Picasso were “borrowers” who in turn became “lenders” to countless modernists.

Rainer Gross is an artist who subscribes to the theory that there is much to be gained from the study of art history and the adaptation of the styles of other eras. He calls his approach “personal improvisations with themes in art history.” Although his attitude is far from universal, it was once the mainstay of art education and the foundation on which many an original talent built a personal esthetic.

Last years “Art about Art” exhibition at the Wnitney Museum reminded us that the art of the past can still provide valid models, even in an age when the unique and objective statement has been valued as never before. A prominent figure in that show as Larry Rivers, perhaps the most consistent renowned “borrower” of his generation, who has spent the last 30 years quoting everybody from Rembrandt to Hiroshige.

As an assistant to Mr. Rivers for four years, Mr. Gross was evidently in a sympathetic environment, although he states that this interest in art history predates his association with Mr. Rivers.

Gross is interested in the styles of art at various periods in history. He likes to take off from the art of the past, to use it as a point of departure.
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source: mutualart

Rainer Gross is a German visual artist who was born in 1951. Rainer Gross has had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including at the Margaret Thatcher Projects. Numerous works by the artist have been sold at auction, including ‘Luxus XXXII’ sold at Swann Auction Galleries ‘Contemporary Art’ in 2004. There have been Several articles about Rainer Gross, including ‘Rainer Gross’ written by James Kalm for The Brooklyn Rail in 2004.
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source: artchapelles

Rainer Gross a débuté son travail artistique en tant que sculpteur sur pierre avant de se consacrer au bois à partir du milieu des années 1990. Mettant en scène des processus vivants, changeants et éphémères, Rainer Gross réalise des installations aux formes fluides, tantôt graphiques, tantôt organiques. Ces installations in situ sont des assemblages de centaines d’éléments de bois. Elles permettent de construire des formes de grande taille, dans un dialogue direct avec leur environnement. Par conséquent, elles se rapportent toujours à une situation et un espace donnés que ce soit dans la nature ou dans des bâtiments.

Ces installations sont avant tout des « sculptures ». En tant qu’objets, elles se découvrent tout d’abord à travers le prisme des sens, c’est-à-dire que leur perception dépend de la sensibilité de chacun face à leur tridimensionnalité et leur présence plastique, leur tactilité et qualité graphique, en tant que « dessin dans l’espace ». En même temps, le langage des formes retenues peut aussi renvoyer de façon discrète à un autre niveau de lecture, à savoir la représentation du caractère éphémère et instable de toute chose et de la futilité des actions humaines.

De part le type de l’assemblage, dont le processus reste reconnaissable, les installations donnent une impression de « monumentalité » : la taille et la forme de la construction font que l’observateur la ressent physiquement et émotionnellement. Souvent, il peut non seulement l’observer et tourner autour, mais aussi passer au travers. Suivant la distance et l’angle d’observation, elle offre un rapport d’ordre de grandeur changeant avec l’architecture ou la nature environnante et ouvre ainsi de nouvelles perceptions spatiales.

Si ses œuvres plus anciennes sont surtout conçues comme des installations in situ qui épousent les formes de leur environnement, ses créations récentes agissent davantage en contraste. Ses constructions, à la fois légères et imposantes, aériennes et enracinées, invitent le spectateur à une nouvelle perception de son environnement, de l’espace, des échelles et des volumes.