Markus Raetz. Unique collage for Wies Smals, 1973
Large cardboard sheet, with reinforced top and bottom edges for hanging, 252 x 127 cm. Contains a collage on front, signed M.R. in lower border. The back features an enormous letter to Wies Smals, handwritten in black paint. Cardboard edges show some wear, including one tear of c.10 cm on top left edge. Partial paper toning, else fine.
The collage contains ten mounted proof prints from the portfolio '3 Tage 10 Zeichnungen' (3 Days 10 Drawings), featuring large format drawings by Raetz offset printed black on newspaper stock, each 45.5 x 60 cm. The series was produced by the Amsterdam based Seriaal gallery/multiple space, run by Wies Smals, in conjunction with a 3 day show held from May 8 - 10 1973. Swiss artist Markus Raetz (1941- 2020), had been living in Amsterdam for a while, and wrote the letter in Dutch (with a bit of German mixed in). Amongst others he compliments Wies for the beautiful 'newspaper', though at first he found the printing rather sloppy. Amazing artwork and document.