What began as a humble “druckwerk” evolved into the renowned Galerie Rupert Walser. It’s right here on Fraunhoferstrasse. Rupert Walser, born in Rosenheim in 1951, embarked on his artistic journey at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich in 1970. He initially studied painting under Rudi Tröger. Walser later expanded his studies to include art education.
In 1977, Walser transformed a forgotten remise in the then-unattractive Gärtnerplatzviertel into his studio. This space gradually morphed into a printing and exhibition venue. By 1983, it was officially rebranded as Galerie Rupert Walser. Early collaborators included Alfons Lachauer and Antonio Calderara.
The gallery became known for its focus on newer monochrome painting. This was specifically radical painting. This focus stemmed from Walser’s research. The term “Radical Painting” gained recognition from the 1984 exhibition at the Williams College Museum of Art. Even before that exhibition Walser showcased artists like Marcia Hafif and Joseph Marioni.
Over the decades, Galerie Rupert Walser fostered enduring relationships with artists. Jerry Zeniuk was one of those artists. The gallery’s program expanded, embracing greater artistic freedom. Lali Johne, Anna Leonie, and others joined the gallery. Antonio Calderara remained a significant inspiration for Rupert Walser. Their collaboration began in 1977.
Besides painting, Galerie Rupert Walser also showcased unique sculptors. Christiane Möbus, Leo Kornbrust, and James Reineking were among them. Works on paper, including printmaking, held a special place in the gallery’s heart.
From 1978, Galerie Rupert Walser participated in Art Basel for many years. Later, it also took part in fairs in Cologne, Frankfurt, and Berlin. Rupert Walser curated exhibitions including “abstrakt – konkret – absolut” at Kunstverein München in 1978. He also curated “Reclining Red” at the Goethe-Institut London in 1989.
In 1980, Walser initiated and co-edited the influential newspaper “Neue Kunst in München”. Then in 1983, he founded “Neue Kunst in Europa”, later known as NIKE. In 1988, Walser spearheaded the merger of two gallery groups. This formed the “Initiative Münchner Galerien zeitgenössischer Kunst”.
For the first Frankfurt art fair in 1989, Walser proposed “Ohne Auftrag – Zur Geschichte des Kunsthandels am Beispiel München”. This featured reconstructions of exhibitions by Der Blaue Reiter and others.
From 1994, he promoted the Gärtnerplatz galleries with annual themed exhibitions. These included “Kunst und Mode” and the “1. Münchner Zeichnungsmesse”. Galerie Rupert Walser closed in 2024. It marked the end of an era. Walser now concentrates on archiving and curating his collection. The gallery’s legacy lives on through its contributions to Munich’s art scene.