Günter Grass – Drawings and Lithographs Exhibition

The Günter Grass – Drawings and Lithographs exhibition was held from April 18 to May 9, 2010, at the santralistanbul Energy Museum. After surviving the war and captivity, Grass first trained as a stonemason, then completed his studies in sculpture and graphic arts in Düsseldorf and Berlin. Though renowned as a writer, he remained a visual artist and sculptor throughout his life—a true “multitalent.”

In his article ‘Now Am I a Writer or an Illustrator?!’ , Grass explains how his talents constantly intertwined and alternated. His illustrations, engravings, watercolors, and sculptures reflect this clearly—he was also a storyteller through his visual works. “I always draw—whether I’m writing, or even when I’m doing nothing at all. And while drawing, sentences continue to form on other sheets of paper. Writing stretches or delays time; drawing expresses it more directly and succinctly.”

(From Mushroom and Feather Picking by Helmut Frielinghaus, Steidl Verlag, Göttingen, 1993.)