Minimal Kunst

The wonderful Daimler Sammlung in Berlin has been hosting a series of exhibits on German minimalism, drawn from their own collection.  The current show is a bit cluttered, but full of gems.  It's like opening a drawer of jewels that each glitter despite their need for more space.  Some of the strongest pieces owe to  Charlotte Posenenske, known for her large geometric sculptures that resemble industrial venting systems, and Peter Ruehr, who uses repeated photographs, punctuation marks, and film clips to create hypnotic patterns.  Even more captivating are the works on paper by Hanne Darboven, who uses simple equations to generate series of numerals and forms that she likens to mathematical prose.  These cryptic works initial look like scraps from an engineer's notebook, but, framed and arranged, they serve as comments on overly measured world, while pleasantly domesticating Kant's mathematical sublime.