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14/7/2009

Hermann Obrist

Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich

Curators: Eva Afuhs, Zurich | Andreas Strobl, Munich | Viola Weigel (concept), Zurich/Wilhelmshaven

The degree of fame enjoyed by the works of Hermann Obrist (1862–1927) has little relation to their art-historical importance. In Munich in the 1890s, the Swiss-born sculptor established the German variation of the Art Nouveau movement – Jugendstil – which merged the intricate craftsmanship of the applied arts with the aesthetic demands of the liberal fine arts.

However, more importantly, with his fountains and tombs Obrist created the first abstract sculptures that developed a language of their own through the interaction of organic and inorganic structures – something that cannot be simply included under the heading Jugendstil.

Apart from reconstructing an œuvre that has become largely unknown, the exhibition illustrates the considerable artistic and scientific importance that Obrist’s idea of combining imagery and contemporary scholarship still has to this day. This interrelation with the world of science can also be found in contemporary art. In his treatment of photography, Obrist went beyond the traditional understanding of sculpture and paradigmatically opened up new paths for the art of the 20th century. For the very first time, this exhibition will bring together pieces bequeathed to the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München (State Print Collection) and works in the collection of applied art at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (Design Museum in Zurich) housed in the Museum Bellerive, providing a comprehensive picture of the œuvre created by the draughtsman, sculptor and theoretician. Major contemporary figures and friends, including August Endell, Henry van de Velde and Rudolf Steiner, enable us to see Obrist’s art within a wider context.

Obrist’s last public appearance was at the ›Exhibition for Unknown Architects‹ staged by the ›Arbeitsrat für Kunst‹ in Berlin in 1919, where he was considered a father figure by the younger generation of Expressionist architects and sculptors. The exhibition is rounded off by taking a look at the work of Rudolf Belling, Hermann Finsterlin, Wenzel Hablik, Hans Poelzig and Bruno Taut in conjunction with Obrist’s abstract sculptures. The biomorphic structures in Hermann Obrist’s barely known sculptural œuvre at the Pinakothek der Moderne demonstrate their contemporary qualities in the sculpture and architecture of the modern day.

The exhibition is being held in conjunction with the Museum Bellerive, which forms part of the Design Museum in Zurich, where it was first shown. Works from the artist's estate in Zurich and Munich are to be included for the first time in the accompanying German/English publication, 248 pages, 180 illustrations, Scheidegger & Spiess, Zurich, € 40 at the exhibition (trade edition: € 49).

The various facets of Obrist’s work will be presented at a public symposium in the Pinakothek der Moderne on 18th and 19th September and will provide a platform for discussing Obrist’s position within the history of abstract sculpture. Speakers: Hubertus Adam (Zurich), Bernd Apke (Gütersloh), Erich Franz (Münster), Christa Lichtenstern (Berlin), the ›Hermann Obrist in the art and media network around 1900‹ research project (Zurich).

Image: Fantastic Conch | pencil and charcoal | Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München. Foto: Martina Gadiot © Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München

Press contact:
Dr. Christine Kramer
Kunstareal Türkenstrasse 19 80333 Munich T +49 (0)89 23805-1320 / - 1321 F +49 (0)89 23805-1304 presse@museum-brandhorst.de

Press Preview: 15.07.2009, h 11.00
Opening: 15.07.2009, h 20

Pinakothek der Moderne
Barer Strasse 40 - Munich
Hours: daily except monday 10-18, thu 10-20

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