| 100 Years of Art in
Upheaval - The Berlinische Galerie visits Bonn 25 September 1998 - 10 January 1999
Throughout this century Berlin has been a focal point of Modernism, repeatedly attracting artists from all over the world, many of whom sought refuge there. In addition to its regional elements, the collection of the Berlinische Galerie therefore also contains major international works of modern art, such as the avant-garde of Eastern Europe. Overall, the collection reflects the tensions, upheavals, inventions, triumphs and defeats of the twentieth century with Berlin as the focal point: the spirit of revolution and the utopian designs of Classical Modernism, the social crisis between the World Wars, the defeat and persecution of Modernism under the National Socialists, the new beginning amid the ruins of the Second World War, post-war developments in the divided world of the Cold War up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the current trends in the city which is now growing back together. The exhibition gives a comprehensive survey of the collection’s different aspects from the turn of the century to the present day and is structured like a stroll through Berlin art history: from the excellent graphics of the Brücke Expressionists, the Berlin Dada movement with one of the world’s largest and most important collections of works by Hannah Höch, Raoul Hausmann and John Heartfield; Eastern European Constructivism, with the collection of works by Naum Gabo, the photographs and Proun Room by El Lissitzky, pictures by Ivan Puni, and works by Vladimir Tatlin, Kazimir Malevich, Alexander Rodchenko, László Moholy-Nagy inter alia to the artists who were members of the worldwide network known as the "November Group", such as Arthur Segal and Otto Freundlich, the „Neue Sachlichkeit" (New Objectivity) with works by Otto Dix and Rudolf Schlichter. The war and post-war period is chiefly illustrated by photographs but also by architectural designs and works of art by Werner Heldt and sculptures by Hans Uhlmann. The new figurative art of the sixties is represented in works by Georg Baselitz, K.H. Hödicke and Eugen Schönebeck. Walter Stöhrer and Fred Thieler are representatives of gesticular abstract painting. With the "Art Show" by Ed Kienholz/Nancy Reddin Kienholz and kinetic sculptures by George Rickey, the collection contains works by important American artists who spent a considerable part of their life in Berlin. Young art is represented by „Junge Wilden" from east and west Berlin as well as conceptual exhibits. The photographic collection is represented with both classical works by artists like Heinrich Zille and Erich Salomon as well as with modern works, such as those by Thomas Florschütz and Michael Schmidt. The architectural collection, which is dedicated primarily to Berlin’s post-war urban planning, is presented with older drawings on town planning as well as models of current building projects, e.g. by gmp (Gerkan, Marg & Partner).
Exhibition curator Jörn Merkert Project manager Susanne Kleine Project manager in Berlin Ursula Prinz Exhibition architect Wolfram Dahms email: Susanne Kleine, Project Manager |
||||||||||||
produced and copyright by kunst- und ausstellungshalle der bundesrepublik deutschland
