Berlin gallerist Rolf Ricke has been unleashing influential American artists like Richard Artschwager, Jo Baer, Donald Judd, Lee Lozano, Steven Parrino, Richard Serra, Jessica Stockholder and Barry Le Va on Europe since the 1960s. A 1965 trip to New York opened his eyes to the creative ferment happening there, and inspired him to import the artists themselves, to create new work for his Berlin-based gallery, rather than simply borrowing existing pieces. It was a savvy move. Through the decades, he formed relationships with these artists and acquired a stellar collection of works. The Rolf Ricke Collection, which is being exhibited at three major European museums in 2008, represents four decades of work by predominantly American artists. This accompanying publication is a trove, showcasing Ricke's 150-piece collection and putting it in context with an illustrated timeline of 40 of the richest years of art history.