Alfred Grimm

Alfred Grimm (born 16 June 1943 in Dinslaken, Germany) is a German object artist, sculptor, painter and draftsman.

Life and work

Grimm studied painting and sculpture at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Karl Bobek and Joseph Beuys, among others.[1][2] He created a new kind of multiples which he called "variation objects".[3] Several of his sculptures serve as commemorative monuments in public space.[4][5]

A characteristic of Grimm's art is that he repeatedly created series[6] of objects,[7] drawings[8] or paintings[9] with similar motifs. In the object cycle "A Beautiful Piece of Germany" ("Ein schönes Stück Deutschland")[10][11] Grimm presents on plates artificial pieces of cake of a special kind, which show the viewer bitingly ironic realities from Germany.[12] He also presents miniature landscapes and environments in buckets, bottles, mason jars, tins, books, as well as on chess boards and stones.[13] In his crucifix cycle,[14][15][16][17] real crucifixes are redesigned and provided with additional motifs resulting in critical and sometimes sarcastic statements about the pious religiosity of our day.[18][19] For his TV series[20][21][22] he uses dismantled old television sets, in whose housing he creates miniature landscapes on various themes.

According to Anna-Louise Mathieu, the instant recognition of Grimm's work "serves as the bait for his insidious trap: no sooner does the esthete, the admirer of the ingenious form flounder in it, than the artist begins to frighten us ... with unsavory details, he sprinkles his cynical observations in between, as if they were chocolate shavings." He illustrates his world view in "miniature environments thinking about the triangular deals regarding the monopoly of power and capital, about ecological murder, military and technological overkill. He breaks down the object of his pangs of conscience into bite-proof pieces, and adds a little joke of the bite-sized kind, so that we don't lose our appetite when we are frustrated." We "recognize ourselves: pushed onto the television set, pulled onto bottles, ... nailed to a chessboard, flushed down the toilet. ... Our register of sins, our common failure gawks at us as an aphorism."[23]

From time to time Grimm's works cause heated discussions. His "Mother Earth Chair" (1995), which shows a landscape with nature, factory chimneys and a tunnel on a gynecologist's chair and draws attention to the destructive human intervention in nature, has been rejected several times at exhibitions because of this object the dignity of the female sex could be sensitively affected and disturbed.[24][25]

In 1981, Grimm was a co-founder of the Kulturkreis Dinslaken (KKD).[26][27] He has taken part in 90 solo exhibitions and 203 group exhibitions in Germany, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the USA. So far 11 individual catalogs and 50 joint catalogs as well as over 1200 press articles in Germany and abroad have been published.[28] As of 2019, his work had been reported in nine radio and eighteen TV programs.[29]

On the occasion of Grimm's eightieth birthday, an extensive exhibition of his complete oeuvre was held at the Museum Voswinckelshof in Dinslaken from 20 August to 15 October 2023.[30][31]

Private life

Alfred Grimm lives in Hünxe. He is married to the art teacher and artist Barbara Grimm.[32] They have two sons and five grandsons.[33]

From 1972 until his retirement in early 2005, Grimm taught art at a German secondary school in Dinslaken.[34][35] The German-American character animator Andreas Deja was one of Grimm's students.[36] To this day Grimm continues to work as a freelance artist, chiefly creating new object series.[37][38]

Public works

Some public works by Alfred Grimm include:

  • The object window for the evangelical church "Unsere Arche" in Hünxe–Bruckhausen (1992),[39] which, for the first time in the context of church art, expands traditional stained glass by integrating everyday objects into an object window,[40][41]
  • The large bronze memorial as a reminder of the former Jewish community in Dinslaken (1993),[42][43][44][45][46]
  • The memorial for the Clemens sister Euthymia in the park of St. Vinzenz Hospital in Dinslaken (2001),[47][48]
  • The outdoor sculpture "Road Work Excavation" ("Baustelle") for the sculpture mile in the city of Dinslaken (2002, owned by Stadtwerke Dinslaken),[49][50]
  • The exterior sculpture for the centenary of the company, Steinhoff Kaltwalzen, Dinslaken (2008),[51][52]
  • The outdoor sculptures "memorial stones" to commemorate Jewish citizens from Dinslaken in the commemorative year 2013.[53][54][55][56][57]
Alfred Grimm
  • In 2012, Grimm designed four memorial stones for Jewish citizens and their professions. This work is reminiscent of the livestock dealers Julius and Josef Jakob. They and their families were deported to Lizmannstadt (Łódź), Poland in 1941 and murdered.
    In 2012, Grimm designed four memorial stones for Jewish citizens and their professions. This work is reminiscent of the livestock dealers Julius and Josef Jakob. They and their families were deported to Lizmannstadt (Łódź), Poland in 1941 and murdered.
  • Monument to the old Jewish cemetery on the Doelen (2021) by Grimm at the Dinslaken city park
    Monument to the old Jewish cemetery on the Doelen (2021) by Grimm at the Dinslaken city park
  • This memorial work is reminiscent of Elly Eichelgrün, a hat and milliner. In 1941 she fled to the United States via the Netherlands.
    This memorial work is reminiscent of Elly Eichelgrün, a hat and milliner. In 1941 she fled to the United States via the Netherlands.
  • "Memorial in memory of the expulsion of the Jews from Dinslaken" by Grimm in the city park.
    "Memorial in memory of the expulsion of the Jews from Dinslaken" by Grimm in the city park.

References and notes
    1. "Grimm, Alfred", in Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon. Die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (AKL), vol. 62, Munich and Leipzig: K.-G. Saur, 2009, p. 262.
    2. artothek: Alfred Grimm
    3. Galerie-KiR: Alfred Grimm.
    4. Ralf Schreiner, "Ein unbequemer Mahner", Rheinische Post, 2 August 2012.
    5. Bettina Schack, "Wie Alfred Grimm erinnert und mahnt". NRZ, 7 April 2021, cited by Heimatverein Dinslaken.
    6. Joachim Schneider, Alfred Grimm: Serien.Folgen.Reihen, Dinslaken 2007.
    7. Alfred Grimm: Objektkunst.
    8. Alfred Grimm: Zeichnungen.
    9. Alfred Grimm: Malerei.
    10. Alfred Grimm: Objektkunst: Torten.
    11. "Darum entwirft dieser Künstler eine Sägespäne-Torte für Duderstadt", Göttinger Tageblatt, 15 June 2020.
    12. Joachim Schneider, Alfred Grimm: Serien.Folgen.Reihen, Dinslaken 2007, pp. 45–53.
    13. Joachim Schneider, Alfred Grimm: Serien.Folgen.Reihen, Dinslaken 2007, pp. 19–33, 43–45.
    14. "Grimm zeigt Kruzifix-Objekte", Rheinische Post, 8 Feb. 2018.
    15. Frank Blum, "Ist das Kunst? Oder kann das weg?", Stadtspiegel Essen, 22 Feb. 2016.
    16. Alfred Grimm: Objektkunst: Kruzifixe.
    17. Alfred Grimm: "Kruzifixobjekte" im rpi-Kunstmuseum.
    18. Bernd Krysmanski, Alfred Grimm: Kruzifix-Objekte, Kamp-Lintfort 2015.
    19. Gabi Gies, "Jesus in Ketchup – Kruzifixe im Gewölbekeller Kloster Kamp", WAZ, 13 March 2015.
    20. Alfred Grimm: Objektjunst: TV-Objekte.
    21. Heinz Schild, "Hünxer Künstler Alfred Grimm stellt in Düsseldorf aus", Rheinische Post, 27 July 2023.
    22. "Alfred Grimm: Kunst aufgestallt", Niederrhein, 14 April 2022.
    23. "Alfred Grimm/Systemfehler", in Anna-Louise Mathieu/Werner Arand/Bernd Krysmanski, Alfred Grimm: Kunst-Baum-Kunst, Wesel 1997.
    24. "Anrüchig? Werk von Hünxer Künstler in Düsseldorf abgelehnt", NRZ, 26 July 2023.
    25. Heinz Schild, "Hünxer Künstler Alfred Grimm stellt in Düsseldorf aus", Rheinische Post, 27 July 2023.
    26. Kulturkreis Dinslaken: Die Geschichte des KKD: Von 1981 bis heute.
    27. "Kunst aufgestallt von Alfred Grimm rüttelt auf", Der Weseler, 15 April 2022.
    28. Alfred Grimm: GROSSE Bilder, KUNSTObjekte, zeichnerische und malerische WERKE, Museum Voswinckelshof, Dinslaken, 20 August-15 October 2023.
    29. Andrea Becker, "Sendung über die Kreuze von Alfred Grimm in der WDR-Lokalzeit Duisburg", Niederrhein-Anzeiger, 16 April 2019.
    30. Alfred Grimm: GROSSE Bilder, KUNSTObjekte, zeichnerische und malerische WERKE, Museum Voswinckelshof, Dinslaken, 20 August-15 October 2023.
    31. Bettina Schack, "Alfred Grimm: Ausstellung zum 80.", NRZ, 18 August 2023.
    32. Bettina Schack, "Künstlerehepaar Grimm aus Hünxe feiert Goldene Hochzeit", NRZ, 23 May 2019
    33. Bettina Schack, "Goldhochzeit im Hause Grimm", NRZ, 23 May 2019.
    34. "Grimm, Alfred", in Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon: Die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (AKL), vol. 62, Munich and Leipzig: K.-G. Saur, 2009, p. 262.
    35. Friedrich Wilms, "Lehrerinnen und Lehrer an unserer Schule", in Hundert Jahre höhere Schule in Dinslaken, 1901–2001, Voerde 2001, p. 117.
    36. Bettina Schack, Deja – eine Disney-Legende aus Dinslaken, Rheinische Post, 6 April 2021, cited by Heimatverein Dinslaken.
    37. "Grimm, Alfred", in Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon: Die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (AKL), vol. 62, Munich and Leipzig: K.-G. Saur, 2009, p. 262.
    38. Bettina Schack, "Goldhochzeit im Hause Grimm", NRZ, 23 May 2019.
    39. Alfred Grimm: Objektfenster Ev. Kirche "Unsere Arche" in Hünxe-Bruckhausen.
    40. Ralf Schreiner: Objektfenster "Unsere Arche", Hünxe 1992.
    41. Claudia Koall, "Regenbogen und Blitze, unberührte Natur und Industrielandschaft in der Kirche: ein außergewöhnliches Objektfenster", Jahrbuch des Kreises Wesel 1996 [1995], pp. 5–10.
    42. Elizabeth Sullivan, "Recalling a terryfying image: Small German town turns lens on Nazi's purge of Jews", The Plain Dealer, 21 November 1993.
    43. Faye Sholiton, "Dinslaken, Germany, remembers its Jews", Cleveland Jewish News, 18 February 1994.
    44. Joachim Pfannschmidt, "Alfred Grimms Erinnerungen an historische Geschehnisse", Niederrhein-Anzeiger, 3 January 2022.
    45. Stadtjugendring Dinslaken: Alfred Grimm: Mahnmal für die ehemalige jüdische Gemeinde Dinslaken.
    46. Alfred Grimm: Dinslakener Mahnmal.
    47. Hans-Josef Joest (ed.): Schwester Maria Euthymia: Ihr Leben, ihre Seligsprechung, ihre Ausstrahlung. Münster 2001, pp. 199ff.
    48. Alfred Grimm: Euthymia.
    49. Alfred Grimm: Baustelle.
    50. Ralf Schreiner, "Grimms Kunstgriff: ‘Baustelle’ zog um", Rheinische Post, 6 November 2002.
    51. Alfred Grimm: Außenplastik Steinhoff.
    52. "Grimm-Plastik zum Jubiläum von Steinhoff", NRZ, 16 May 2008.
    53. "Steine mahnen zur Erinnerung an vier jüdische Familien in Dinslaken" Jahrbuch / Kreis Wesel, 36 (2015) [Duisburg, 2014], pp. 161–168.
    54. Günter Hucks, "Die Mahnsteine von Alfred Grimm in Dinslaken", Niederrhein-Anzeiger, 19 March 2013.
    55. "Erinnerungen an das jüdische Leben in Dinslaken", NRZ, 10 October 2021.
    56. Ralf Schreiner, "Mahnsteine mit Messer und Kaffeepott", Rheinische Post, 21 March 2013.
    57. Alfred Grimm: Dinslakener Mahnsteine.

    Bibliography
    • Klaus Battke / Martin Müller, Alfred Grimm: Zeichnungen, Objekte, Malerei, Dinslaken 1985.
    • Karl-Heinz Koch, Alfred Grimm: Zeichnungen, Objekte, Malerei, Emmerich 1988.
    • Ralf Schreiner, Objektfenster "Unsere Arche", Hünxe 1992.
    • Anna-Louise Mathieu, Alfred Grimm: Bilder, Objekte, Rees 1992.
    • Alfred Grimm: Kleine Eräugnisse, Objekte und Bilder, Berlin 1993.
    • Alfred Grimm: Bilder, Objekte, Dinslaken 1996.
    • Anna-Louise Mathieu, Werner Arand and Bernd Krysmanski, Alfred Grimm: Kunst-Baum-Kunst, Wesel 1997.
    • Joachim Schneider, Alfred Grimm: Alltätlichkeiten, Bilder und Objekte, Rees 1998.
    • Joachim Schneider, Alfred Grimm: Serien.Folgen.Reihen, Dinslaken 2007.
    • Bernd Krysmanski, Alfred Grimm: "Grimms Mädchen", Wesel 2008.
    • Bernd Krysmanski, Alfred Grimm: Kruzifix-Objekte, Kamp-Lintfort 2015.
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