Mathias Goeritz

(German/Mexican, 1915–1990)

Mathias Goeritz was a German-born Mexican sculptor. He is best known for his interest in what he called “emotional architecture,” which was a belief in objects that elicited an emotional response rather than objects purely for functionality. Goeritz’s public sculptures were often large-scale and inspired by prehistoric cave paintings and monoliths. Born on April 4, 1915 in Danzig, Germany (now Gdansk, Poland), the artist grew up in Berlin. He went on to study philosophy and the history of art at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn, while also studying art under Max Kaus and Hans Orlowski at the Berlin-Charlottenberg School of Arts and Crafts. Goeritz left Germany in 1941 to escape World War II, first settling in Morocco, then Spain, and then in Mexico, where he worked as a teacher. During the 1950s, the artist worked with the architect Luis Barragán to produce massive, abstract concrete sculptures, and Goeritz first presented his “Manifiesto de la Arquitectura Emocional” (“Emotional Architecture Manifesto”). Goeritz’s works are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, among others. He died on August 4, 1990 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Mathias Goeritz Artworks

Mathias Goeritz (463 results)
Mensaje dorado, 1960

Mathias Goeritz

Mensaje dorado, 1960

Sale Date: May 26, 2015

Auction Closed

Untitled (Bule) (+ 2 others; 3 works), 1950–1951

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled (Bule) (+ 2 others; 3 works), 1950–1951

Sale Date: March 31, 2015

Auction Closed

Maquette for Biombo Dorado (2 works), 1970

Mathias Goeritz

Maquette for Biombo Dorado (2 works), 1970

Sale Date: March 31, 2015

Auction Closed

Maquette for Laberinto de Jerusalén, 1974

Mathias Goeritz

Maquette for Laberinto de Jerusalén, 1974

Sale Date: March 31, 2015

Auction Closed

Estrella, 1973

Mathias Goeritz

Estrella, 1973

Sale Date: March 31, 2015

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1960

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled, 1960

Sale Date: November 25, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled (Cube and pyramid), 1960

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled (Cube and pyramid), 1960

Sale Date: November 25, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1970

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled, 1970

Sale Date: November 25, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1970

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled, 1970

Sale Date: November 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled (Maquette)

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled (Maquette)

Sale Date: November 11, 2014

Auction Closed

El Circo, 1937

Mathias Goeritz

El Circo, 1937

Sale Date: October 1, 2014

Auction Closed

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Mathias Goeritz

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Sale Date: September 7, 2014

Auction Closed

Salvador de Auschwitz VII

Mathias Goeritz

Salvador de Auschwitz VII

Sale Date: June 12, 2014

Auction Closed

La serpiente de el eco (una versión), 1952–1953

Mathias Goeritz

La serpiente de el eco (una versión), 1952–1953

Sale Date: May 28, 2014

Auction Closed

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Mathias Goeritz

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Sale Date: May 3, 2014

Auction Closed

Sculpture, 1950–1959

Mathias Goeritz

Sculpture, 1950–1959

Sale Date: May 18, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled

Sale Date: May 13, 2014

Auction Closed

Anaconda Mockup, 1978

Mathias Goeritz

Anaconda Mockup, 1978

Sale Date: May 13, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled (La serpiente del eco)

Mathias Goeritz

Untitled (La serpiente del eco)

Sale Date: May 13, 2014

Auction Closed

Salvador de Auschwitz II

Mathias Goeritz

Salvador de Auschwitz II

Sale Date: May 15, 2014

Auction Closed

El animal, 1950

Mathias Goeritz

El animal, 1950

Sale Date: May 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Estrella, 1973

Mathias Goeritz

Estrella, 1973

Sale Date: May 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Amiga íntima

Mathias Goeritz

Amiga íntima

Sale Date: May 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Mathias Goeritz

Mensaje Sagrado, 1976

Sale Date: April 22, 2014

Auction Closed