In Sils Maria, in the heart of the Engadin, the site-specific installation Strip Tower (962) by Gerhard Richter opens to the public as an intervention set to remain on view for the next three years. The work is presented by the Luma Foundation as part of Elevation 1049, a project that has long explored the dialogue between contemporary art and the Alpine landscape.

Seen at the opening, the sculpture asserts itself without ever feeling intrusive. Strip Tower (962) emerges as a three-dimensional evolution of Richter’s celebrated Strip Paintings: eight interlocking vertical panels, clad in ceramic tiles with vivid, rhythmic stripes, form a walk-through structure—an interior space the visitor is invited to explore. Moving inside and around the tower, chromatic perception shifts continuously, as does the relationship with light and one’s own viewpoint, turning the work into a physical experience even before a visual one.

Installed along the shores of Lake Silvaplana, the sculpture resonates with the environment around it. The Alpine landscape is not merely a backdrop, but becomes an integral part of the work: atmospheric conditions, shifting luminosity, and the open scale of the site constantly influence how the piece is read. Richter doesn’t impose a monumental presence—instead, he constructs an object that seems to adapt to the place, letting the context complete its meaning.

In this subtle balance between artistic intervention and nature, Strip Tower (962) confirms Richter’s ability to push painting beyond its traditional boundaries, transforming it into walkable architecture and a perceptual device. A work that will follow the passage of time and the changing seasons, in Sils Maria.