Erdmut Bramke, Werkverzeichnis. Bd. 3: Kunst am Bau

The third volume of Erdmut Bramke's catalogue raisonné is devot-ed to »art in architecture« and temporary works in public spaces. It complements the two volumes already published with the presentations of paintings and works on paper. This makes the artist's work accessible to the public in its entirety. The richly illustrated catalogue presents the artist's competition entries from 1974 to 2002 in chron-ological order. The reconstruction of more than 20 realised and unrealised projects on the basis of unpublished material and personal notes from the artist's estate provide an insight into her working methods and allow a detailed view of the process of creating the works. Both the sketches and designs and the executed works show an incredible joy for experimenting and variability in the use of materials, ranging from painted metal sheets, holes drilled in wood and stone to tiles, fabrics, canvas, graffiti, glass and paving stones.
Embedded in the discourse on »art in architecture« and its gene-sis in the 20th century, Bramke's works are presented in the context of the design process. Characteristic of her interventions in public space is her sensitiveness to the surrounding space which does not see her work as an addition to the existing architecture, but rather uses the architectural space to evoke quiet, contemplative mo-ments through intense colour experiences or to make the space experienceable. The »Bramke system« manifests itself even with the early, expansive work for the University of Constance. The form-giving element is a variable order structure. The arrangement of the same elements with slight changes and nuances, but following the same laws in rows, condense into a structure and become a vibrating lineament. Even 50 years after its completion, the work is considered as a successful example of how »art in architecture« can have integrative and functional qualities without losing its artistic
value.
Between this first major work for the University of Constance from 1974 to 1976 and the expansive work for the cental library of the University of Tübingen at the end of her life constants in the »Bramke system« become apparent. At the same time, the overall view clearly shows the development of a