The new Lenbachhaus, Munich. © Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus München
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Lenbachhaus, Old Villa. © Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus München
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Olafur Eliasson, Wirbelwerk, 2012. Photographer: Studio Olafur Eliasson. © 2012 Olafur Eliasson
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Works by Isa Genzken and Wolfgang Tillmans. Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, München. KiCo Stiftung. Photo: Lenbachhaus
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Munich is celebrating: After four years of construction, the Lenbachhaus has reopened. Sir Norman Foster
and his team carefully refurbished the landmark museum on Königsplatz.
In addition, the British star architect added a golden cube to the
sienna-colored Renaissance Revival villa, catapulting the museum into
the 21st century. Among the sponsors of this elaborate project are the
Jubilee Foundation of Deutsche Bank in Favor of Lenbachhaus, which was
established in 1992 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of
Deutsche Bank Munich. Since then, the foundation has enabled purchases
of works by artists such as Jeppe Hein and Isa Genzken and became involved in the art education program for children and students.
Since
the reopening, Munich residents have stood in lines to experience the
new Lenbachhaus. The eleven-meter high atrium, in which the museum’s
past and present meet face to face, is particularly spectacular. Like
an installation, part of the historic villa’s façade projects into the
hall. Olafur Eliasson’s eight-meter-high sculpture Wirbelwerk sets a futuristic accent. Naturally, the works of the Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider) form the core of the museum’s collection. The paintings of Gabriele Münter, Franz Marc, and August Macke are hanging on colored walls, as they were before the renovation, while Wassily Kandinsky’s
canvases on black atlas silk glow even more intensely. The presentation
of the contemporary art is also impressive. Conceptual works by Roman Opalka and On Kawara are combined with an opulent Murano-glass chandelier by Cerith Wyn Evan, and large photographic works by Wolftang Tillmanns encounter an Isa Genzgen assemblage. And four new Beuys rooms with key works such as the environment Zeige deine Wunde (1974/75) demonstrate that the work of the art shaman has lost none of its fascination.
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