SwissArtGallery · Documented identity
Irma Blank’s work explores the graphic possibilities of writing beyond its usual communicative function: her signs evoke the composition of alphabetic writing while remaining illegible and asemantic. Born in Celle, Germany, in 1934, and dying on 14 April 2023, the artist lived in Italy from 1955 onwards, first in Sicily, then in Milan from 1973.
In Sicily, between 1968 and 1973, she developed the Eigenschriften, a title that can be translated as “writings of the self” or “writings for oneself”: an initial period of experimentation with written form. These compositions take up the visual organization of the alphabet without retaining its legible use, thus separating the appearance of writing from the ordinary transmission of a text. In Milan, she then began Trascrizioni, a series continued until 1979, in which she transferred the text and layout of various printed materials by tracing them. The drawings take the form of monochrome hatching; Blank makes them while reading in a low voice, a practice that also gives rise to audio recordings.
The series Radical Writings (1983–1996) comprises works in colour in oil, acrylic or watercolour, in which the artist works with breathing. Hyper-Text (1998–2002) brings together screenprints on canvas composed of texts in three languages. With Avant-testo (“Before the text”, 1998–2006), made with a Bic pen on canvas or polyester, she employs circular movements. Global Writings (2000–2016) comprises works made by hand or digitally, based on an invented alphabet of eight consonants. In Gehen-Second Life (2017), lines appear on sheets or notebooks; due to health problems, the artist then began working with her left hand.
Her work was shown at documenta 6 in Kassel in 1977, and then at the Venice Biennale in 1978, in the exhibition Matérialisation du langage. She took part again in the Venice Biennale in 2017, in the exhibition Viva Arte Viva. Between 2019 and 2022, a retrospective devoted to her work was presented in seven stages in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Israel and France. Her works are held in museum collections in Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Germany, the United States, Egypt and Slovenia.
This profile brings together identity references for Irma Blank and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.
3 references are documented at Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer, Germann, Lempertz. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.
Acrylic on canvas
Radical writings, Dal libro totale, 1983
Acryl auf Leinwand
Catalogue period : 2025-06-25
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
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Tusche auf Pergamin
Auction date : 2021-06-18
Published result : 10000 EUR
Including buyer’s premium
Estimate : 10000
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Oil on cardboard
Radical Writings, Exercitium VI, 1993
Öl auf Karton.
Date to be documented
Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed
View the lot at the auction house ↗SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record.
Documentation updated : 2026-10-19
