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4/4/2014

Art and Alchemy

Museum Kunstpalast, Dusseldorf

For the first time in Germany, an exhibition spanning all epochs and genres will be introducing the exciting link between art and alchemy in past and present times. 250 works from antiquity to the present, encompassing Baroque art, Surrealism, through to contemporary art from collections and museums in the USA, Great Britain, France, Mexico and Israel reveal the fascination which alchemy exerted for many visual artists. Artists featured in the exhibition, such as Joseph Beuys, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Max Ernst, Hendrick Goltzius, Rebecca Horn, Anish Kapoor, Yves Klein, Sigmar Polke, Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens and David Teniers the Younger invite visitors to explore the mystery of transformation.

Alchemy was invariably practised in secret, but was by no means a rare occurrence until well into the 18th century: Eminent personalities, including Paracelsus, Isaac Newton and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, were alchemists, too. It was not until the Age of the Enlightenment that alchemy was ousted and became intermingled with occultism, sorcery and superstition. In connection with 19th and early 20th-century psychoanalysis alchemy was brought to new life.

The exhibition was conceived by Museum Kunstpalast in cooperation with the research group “Art and Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe” at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, as well as a group of experts at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, which also provided many pieces on loan. A Wunderkammer of curious and exotic treasures from flora and fauna is offered for visitors to explore. In an extensive accompanying programme the subject of art and alchemy will be expanded upon by means of lectures, talks and guided tours. For the exhibition, a studio for children was set up, where the theme of “The Alchemy of Colour” is explored by taking a close look at colours, along with their archetypical elements and production.

Image: François-Marius Granet, Der Alchemist, 1. Hälfte 19. Jh., Öl auf Leinwand, 61 x 48,3 cm, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Gift of Roy Eddleman, © Gift of Roy Eddleman, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia / Foto: Will Brown

Press Contact

Marina Schuster
Head of communication and PR/ Press Officer
Fon +49(0)211-8996211
Fax +49(0)211-8929504
marina.schuster(at)smkp.de

Christina Bolius
Communication Assistant/New Media
Fon +49(0)211-8996250
Fax +49(0)211-8929504
christina.bolius(at)smkp.de

Museum Kunstpalast
Ehrenhof 4-5- 40479 Düsseldorf
Opening hours
Tu–Su 11–6, Thu 11-9, closed on Mondays
Adults: 5,00 €
Concessions: 4,50 €
Pupils/students, apprentices
Severely disabled persons with a disablement of at least 50% G. d. B. (German classification) or equivalent
Welcome-Card,Düsseldorf
ARTCARD of the art magazine ART
Members of the Deutscher Museumsbund
Groups from 10 persons 4,00 €
Family ticket (2 adults, up to 3 children) 12,00 €
Holders of Art-Card Bonn 4,00 €
Education
School classes, Collection, guided 2,50 €
School classes, Collection, without guide 1,50 €
Free entrance:
Children up to 6 years person accompanying a disabled person (mark ‘B’ or equivalent) holders of ArtCard Düsseldorf holders of Düsseldorfer Künstlerkarte Düsselpass or comparable holders of new citizen’s voucher members of AICA, ICOM members of Ulmer Verein members of Bundesverband Museumspädagogik members of Verband Deutscher Kunsthistoriker members of Verband der Restauratoren members of Deutscher Museumsbund (free entrance to the collections only) holders of Kunstkarte D.A.CH.

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