Gerhard Richter. 18. Oktober 1977
Gerhard Richter: October 18, 1977
The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Boston, USA
18 January 1991 - 18 March 1991
editThe painting centres on the record player of Andreas Baader, a leading member of the terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF), that featured in his cell in the prison of Stuttgart-Stammheim and in which the gun was hidden that he used to shoot himself. Record player was painted using a police photograph taken within the context of securing the crime scene[1].
From above, the viewer looks onto the device standing off-centre in a corner on the ground. The player is encompassed by cables and a power strip and offers a free view to the record on top with its bright label visible through the transparent cover.
Record player is one of the paintings of October 18, 1977 concerned specifically with the personality of Andreas Baader and his personal belongings. Both Record player and Cell [CR: 670] are sometimes seen as portraying Baader as they both refer to his personality by means of his property and counterbalance the depictions of the dead Baader in Man Shot Down 1 and 2 [CR: 669/1-2][2]. However, the record player is not depicted as being in operation, the needle rests beside the record. The silence is thus expressed visually and points even more pointedly to the absence of the owner[3] and the falling silent of the historical reports[4]. Painting in this case visualises the lack of language and sound[5]. Although the traces of his life are still present in the possessions of the dead man, and as such are portrayable, the human itself has departed irretrievably[6].
The record player in Baader’s prison cell evoked different connotations in the public awareness. On the one hand, it refers to the heated discussion about the conditions of detention of the imprisoned RAF members[7]. The detained terrorists were held in solitary confinement at first but had fought against this by going on a hunger strike that was well-covered by the media, attaining facilitations of imprisonment. These included concessions concerning the planning of their daily routine like the permission to go out to the prison courtyard and to talk privately between themselves as well personal amenities like books and music[8]. Especially the record player had become a symbol for the collective suicide of the RAF terrorists and the inability of the state to find a suitable way of dealing with the prisoners. In a hidden compartment in the shell of the record player Baader had hidden the gun he used to kill himself – both prove of how permeable the walls of the prison really were and a memento of death[9]. The device also points to the fact that electronic devices and especially the stereo equipment were converted into a radio system by the prisoners and used for unsupervised communication between the prison cells. This fact only became public knowledge after the deaths in Stammheim[10].
The original photograph was taken in colour, just like the source image for Cell [CR: 670], and it is possible to identify the record: Eric Clapton’s There’s One in Every Crowd from 1974[11]. Information like these are obscured in Richter’s painting because of the painterly treatment. The painting only pretends to be able to disclose details about Andreas Baader as a person while in reality only acting as a proxy for his personality, the arguments and conspiracy theories surrounding the case of Stammheim[12].
Richter doesn’t take sides in his cycle of works and he stresses that he was less interested in a detailed depiction of the events than a reconsideration of the issues: “What have I painted. […] – a silent, grey record player – […] I’m not so sure whether the pictures ‘ask’ anything; they provoke contradiction through their hopelessness and desolation, their lack of partisanship.“[13]
[1] Robert Storr (ed.), Gerhard Richter. October 18, 1977, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2000, p. 106.
[2] Ortrud Westheider, “Eine Idee, die bis zum Tod geht. Der Zyklus 18. Oktober 1977“, in: Uwe M. Schneede (ed.): Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche, exh. cat. Bucerius Kunst-Forum, Munich, 2011, p. 174.
[3] Storr 2000, p. 107.
[4] Martin Henatsch, Gerhard Richter – 18. Oktober 1977. Das verwischte Bild der Geschichte, Fischer, Frankfurt, 1998, p. 79.
[5] Birgit Richard, Todesbilder. Kunst, Subkultur, Medien, Wilhelm Fink, München, 1995, p. 234.
[6] Storr 2000, p. 107.
[7] Westheider 2011, pp. 160-161.
[8] Stefan Aust, Der Baader-Meinhof-Komplex, 3rd ed., Hamburg, 2008, pp. 384-413.
[9] Westheider 2011, p. 161.
[10] Stefan Aust and Helmar Büchel, “Der letzte Akt der Rebellion” in: Der Spiegel, No. 37, 2007, p. 67-78.
[11] Storr 2000, p. 117.
[12] Achim Borchardt-Hume, “’Dreh Dich nicht um’ – Richters Bilder aus den späten 1980er-Jahren“ in: Mark Godfrey, Nicholas Serota, Dorothée Brill, Camille Morineau (ed.), Gerhard Richter. Panorama, exh. cat. Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin, Munich, 2012, p. 169.
[13] Notes for a press conference, November-December (held at Museum Haus Esters, Krefeld, February 1989), 1988 (translated by David Britt) in: Gerhard Richter. Text. Writings, Interviews and Letters 1961-2007, Thames & Hudson, London, 2009, pp. 203-204.
Notes prepared by editorial team
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA
This artwork is based on an image included in Atlas:
This artwork was shown in the following exhibitions::
Related publications
Title | Author | Date | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
The Richter Interviews | Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Richter, Gerhard edit | 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Wo Es war. Vier Briefe an Gerhard Richter | Didi-Huberman, Georges edit | 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Unconsolable Contemporary: Observing Gerhard Richter | Rabinow, Paul edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: The Life of Images | Hawker, Rosemary edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Robert Storr: Interviews on Art | Storr, Robert edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Typewriters, Bombs, Jellyfish: Essays | McCarthy, Tom edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Über Malen / Frühe Bilder | edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
B: Blickfänger | Härtel, Insa / Pazzini, Karl-Josef edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
The Absent Museum | Snauwaert, Dirk / Borja-Villel, Manuel / David, Catherine / Esche, Charles edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Die Editionen | edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter | Elger, Dietmar / Fajt, Jiří edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Photography, Trace, and Trauma | Iversen, Margaret edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
The Artwork of Gerhard Richter. Painting, critical theory and cultural transformation | Ansted, Darryn edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Elective Affinities. German Art since the Late 1960s | edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Gerhard Richter. 14 Panes of Glass for Toyoshima, dedicated to futility | Elger, Dietmar / Hayashi, Sumi edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Abstraction and Appearance | Moorhouse, Paul edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Das Abenteuer unserer Sammlung Kunst nach 1945 aus den Kunstmuseen Krefeld | Hentschel, Martin / Holzhey, Magdalena / Janzen, Thomas / Martin, Sylvia edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Painting | Shimizu, Minoru edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
The Art of Gerhard Richter. Hermeneutics, Images, Meaning | Lotz, Christian edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
The Düsseldorf Art Academy. Making History since 1945 | Kunstakademie Düsseldorf edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
|
Time Present. Photography from The Deutsche Bank Collection | Krause, Stefan / Koerner von Gustorf, Oliver / Cloete, Alan / Chadha, Gunit / Hütte, Friedhelm / Liebscher, Martin / Campany, David edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
|
Time Present. Photography from the Deutsche Bank Collection | Ng, Rachel / März, Christina / Hütte, Friedhelm / Lingham, Susie / Lim, Philip edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Pictures / Series accompanies Gerhard Richter’s exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler. The show is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, a longstanding friend of Richter ... |
Gerhard Richter: Pictures / Series | Didi-Huberman, Georges / Elger, Dietmar / Kono, Michiko / Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Schwarz, Dieter edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Bilder / Serien accompanies Gerhard Richter’s eponymous exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler. The show is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, a longstanding friend of Richter ... |
Gerhard Richter: Bilder / Serien | Didi-Huberman, Georges / Elger, Dietmar / Kono, Michiko / Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Schwarz, Dieter edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Germany Divided. Baselitz and his Generation. From the Duerckheim Collection | Stonard, John-Paul / MacGregor, Neil edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter, Panorama: une rétrospective = a retrospective | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Panorama: Retrospektive | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Übermalt, Verwischt, Ausgelöscht: Das Porträt im 20. Jahrhundert | Mund, Henrike edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Images of an Era was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s ... |
Gerhard Richter. Images of an Era | Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Atlas displays 783 plates of Gerhard Richter’s Atlas. Atlas is a collection of photographs, newspaper cuttings and sketches, which the artist compiled and then arranged on single sheets ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Il bordo del mondo: La forma sguardo nella pittura di Gerhard Richter | Garbin, Emanuele edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Panorama: A Retrospective | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s ... |
Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche | Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Gerhard Richter in der Dresdener Galerie is the 7th volume from the publications of the Gerhard Richter Archive Dresden. ... |
Gerhard Richter in der Dresdener Galerie. Schriften des Gerhard Richter Archiv Dresden ; Bd. 7 | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
In this publication, eminent American scholar and curator Robert Storr offers an authoritative consideration of September, Richter’s 2005 painting made in response to the attacks on the WorldTrade Center of 11 September 2001, ... |
September. A History Painting by Gerhard Richter | Storr, Robert edit | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition Richter en France at the Musée de Grenoble in 2009. Both the exhibition and catalogue are dedicated to works by Gerhard Richter that belong to public collections and museums in France. ... |
Richter en France | Tosatto, Guy / Criqui, Jean-Pierre / Storsve, Jonas edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
|
The Richter effect on the regeneration of aesthetics | Kelly, Michael edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
This issue of the Patrimonia series was published on the occasion of the acquisition of the painting Portrait Dr. Knobloch of 1964 by Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in 2009. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Porträt Dr. Knobloch (Patrimonia 344) | Elger, Dietmar / Roth, Martin / Stange, Eva-Maria edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue was published to coincide with the exhibition Gerhard Richter: 4900 Colours at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 2008. ... |
Gerhard Richter. 4900 Colours | Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Gidal, Peter / Pelzer, Birgit / Peyton-Jones, Julia / Obrist, Hans Ulrich edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures ... |
Gerhard Richter: Abstrakte Bilder | Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures ... |
Gerhard Richter. Large Abstracts | Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter, Maler | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Portraits is the first publication that focuses solely on Richter’s portraits, many of which have now gained both recognition and veneration across the globe. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Portraits | Gronert, Stefan / Butin, Hubertus edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
At 864 pages, this monumental and comprehensive publication maps the ideas, processes, life and times of Gerhard Richter. Conceived and closely edited by Richter himself, Atlas cuts straight to the heart of the artist's work ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
At 864 pages, this monumental and comprehensive publication maps the ideas, processes, life and times of Gerhard Richter. Conceived and closely edited by Richter himself, Atlas cuts straight to the heart of the artist's work ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Portraits is the first publication that focuses solely on Richter’s portraits, many of which have now gained both recognition and veneration across the globe. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Portraits | Gronert, Stefan / Butin, Hubertus edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Texte: Schriften und Interviews: Revised and Enlarged Edition | Richter, Gerhard / Shimizu, Minoru edit | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
This catalogue raisonné records Richter’s works in the years 1993-2004. In his work, Gerhard Richter calls into question painting's boundaries, and the labels applied to painting and theories connected with them. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Catalogue Raisonné 1993–2004 | Zweite, Armin edit | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richters editions 1965–2004 was published to coincide with exhibitions in Bonn, Lucerne, Emden, Tübingen and Salzburg. ... |
Gerhard Richter: Editions 1965-2004 | edit | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richters editions 1965–2004 was published to coincided with exhibitions in Bonn, Lucerne, Emden, Tübingen and Salzburg. ... |
Gerhard Richter: Editionen 1965-2004 | Butin, Hubertus / Gronert, Stefan edit | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Gerhard Richter is widely recognized as one of the most significant painters working today, and he is certainly among the most influential. He has worked in a wide range of media since the early 1960s, ... |
Gerhard Richter. Doubt and Belief in Painting | Storr, Robert edit | 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Visions of Modern Art. Painting and Sculpture from the Museum of Modern Art | Elderfield, John / Lowry, Glenn D. / Ganz, Sarah / Storr, Robert / Umland, Anne / Daftari, Fereshteh edit | 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. 40 Years of Painting at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, this publication represents a broad range of Gerhard Richter's paintings of the last 40 years. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Forty Years of Painting | Storr, Robert edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. 40 Years of Painting at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, this publication represents a broad range of Gerhard Richter's paintings of the last 40 years. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Malerei | Storr, Robert edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter, Maler | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Survey accompanies the eponymous exhibition of the German Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), which has been composed by Gerhard Richter himself. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Survey | Schwarz, Dieter / Zeller, Ursula / Adriani, Götz edit | 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
This catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richter's drawings encompasses works in pencil, India ink, ballpoint pen, and other drawing media, on both paper and canvas since 1964. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Drawings 1964-1999. Catalogue Raisonné | Schwarz, Dieter / Pelzer, Birgit edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
On October 18, 1977, three young German radicals, members of the militant Baader-Meinhof group, were found dead in a Stuttgart prison; they were pronounced suicides, but many people suspected they had been murdered. ... |
Gerhard Richter. October 18, 1977 | Storr, Robert edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Übersicht accompanies the eponymous exhibition of the German Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), which has been composed by Gerhard Richter himself. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Übersicht | Schwarz, Dieter / Zeller, Ursula / Adriani, Götz edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter | Corà, Bruno / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Chevrier, Jean Francois / Moscati, Italo edit | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
L'image-événement. Représentations de la terreur dans l'œuvre de Willie Doherty et de Gerhard Richter | Lavoie, Vincent edit | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Gerhard Richter, 18. Oktober 1977. Eine Kunst-Monographie | Hemken, Kai-Uwe edit | 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Arnulf Rainer. Sammlung Frieder Burda = Collection Frieder Burda | Poetter, Jochen / Brehm, Margrit / Möckel, Birgit edit | 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
Designed by the artist himself, this publication gives a rare insight into one of the most intensive work periods (1995–1996) of Richter’s life. ... |
Gerhard Richter. 100 Bilder | Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Pelzer, Birgit / Tosatto, Guy edit | 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions
This limited edition reproduces in facsimile each of the twenty-three Richter works executed on pages of the book Stammheim. Der Prozess gegen die Rote Armee Fraktion by Pieter H. Bakker Schut ... |
Stammheim. Gerhard Richter | Seymour, Anne edit | 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Aus der Sammlung. Nach 25 Jahren | Grisebach, Lucius / Braunsberg, Günter edit | 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Museum für Moderne Kunst und Sammlung Ströher | edit | 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
Zu Richters Oktober-Bildern | Butin, Hubertus edit | 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter 1988/89 | Schampers, Karel / Tilroe, Anna / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. edit | 1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
|
18. Oktober 1977 | Ammann, Jean-Christophe edit | 1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||
![]()
Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Atlas | Zweite, Armin edit | 1989 |
This artwork is shown or mentioned in the following videos:
3 Exhibitions
1 Related publications
Title | Author | Date | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Gerhard Richter. 18. Oktober 1977 | Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Germer, Stefan / Storck, Gerhard / Thorn-Prikker, Jan / Blazwick, Iwona / Lingwood, James | 1989 |