Two drawing compilations were bequeathed by Otfried Rautenbach (1942-2016) to the Artist Archive of the Kunstfonds Foundation. Photographic works are set to follow.
Rautenbach initially completed an apprenticeship as a typesetter in Cologne. In 1962 and 1964, he attended the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt, studying with composers Stockhausen, Ligeti, Boulez, and Heinz-Klaus Metzger. Rautenbach garnered recognition as a typesetter, illustrator, photographer, and composer. In the publishing house he founded, “Hagar,” not only books are released, but also scores. Rautenbach often took charge of designing the artwork for publications by artist friends.
From 1963 to 1967, he published drawings under the pseudonym Friedrich Leinbereiter. These peculiar pencil drawings resemble functional sketches underlying inventions, despite the individual figures and motifs not forming a cohesive image.
For his photo series, the “Permanentschauen,” Rautenbach worked with a half-frame camera, which utilized a standard 35mm film but exposed it to 18 x 24mm, the original silent film cinema format. This effectively doubled the number of images. He showcased the slide series in the shop window of his Heidelberg apartment for passersby during the night.
Later, Rautenbach founded the OR-Film-Sound-Corporation. It led to several performances by the association in Munich, Heidelberg, and Berlin. Rautenbach now worked with 16mm films, which he exhibited along with specially composed live music. In Berlin, as well as later in other cities, he organized salon concerts featuring contemporary music.
www.ftn-books.com has a signed and numbered “38 PHOTOS” from 1980 available. Edition of only 300 copies , numbered 209
