The idea of painting liberated from style and form, as championed by Art Informel from the middle of the 20th century, could hardly be better illustrated than in the powerful work of Peter Brüning, who became one of the main protagonists of this art movement in the 1950s. Energetic, both short and broad brushstrokes as well as singular marks culminate in a dynamic arrangement. The non-colours black and white contrast with shades of brown and subtle blue and green. Fullness meets emptiness, surface meets line, transparency meets opacity. Brüning demonstrates a special sense of colour and composition. At the same time, the physical, gestural element unfolds on the canvas with great openness; the focus is on the act of painting, the creative process itself. Space, time and movement are defining parameters in Brüning's art, which he explores alongside questions of symbolism.
Peter Brüning, who studied under Willi Baumeister at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart from 1950 to 1952, was strongly influenced by the prevailing informal trends in Paris. As a representative of abstract-gestural and lyrical painting, he not only had a decisive influence on German post-war art, but also quickly gained international recognition. Moreover, he took part in the documenta three times in a row (1959, 1964 and 1968) and made a decisive contribution to art history despite his short creative output, which was due to his early death at the age of just 41. Landscape remained a recurring topic in his work.