The exhibition Legacy of Modernism underscores the German artist’s relationship to modernity, stressing the importance of the modern movement in his work and revealing his interest in exploring the legacy of modern aesthetics in the midst of the postmodern era. More than simply showcasing his works, the show aims at highlighting Förg’s aesthetic quest and the relationship he establishes with space through the use of form, colour, texture, scale and composition.

Förg’s work is a blend of disciplines that reimagines the creations of historic artists like Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly and Edvard Munch. His interest in Munch was sparked in the late 1980s, and in 1990 led him to devise his Gitterbilder (“grid paintings”), in which he focused on non-figurative elements and the Norwegian artist’s use of colour. In 1994, these grid paintings signified a turning point in his work, reflecting the need to evolve and concentrating his attention on the physical and tactile properties of the artistic medium.