Das MoMA in Berlin
The Museum of Modern Art Shows its Masterpieces
of Twentieth-Century Art at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin
20 February until 19 September 2004
of Twentieth-Century Art at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin
20 February until 19 September 2004
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Paul Cézanne Der Badende, ca. 1885 Öl/L. 127 x 96,8 cm © The Museum of Modern Art, New York Lillie P. Bliss Collection |
As part of a unique exhibition, MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, will present some 200 of its most significant works of twentieth-century art over a period of seven months at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. The idea behind this unusual cooperation came about as a result of the extensive renovation plans for the prestigious international museum.
This agreement offers visitors the unique opportunity of viewing masterpieces by artists such as Cézanne, van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Kandinsky, Beckmann, Hopper, Pollock and many others which will be on show from 20 February until 19 September 2004 at the Neue Nationalgalerie at Potsdamer Platz.
This monumental exhibition will incorporate works ranging from late Impressionism to high Modernism and beyond to the sphere of contemporary art.
In the face of stiff competition posed by other places of note, Berlin was nevertheless able to hold its ground when it came to securing the exhibition. Here, the excellent relationship between the two institutions, and between MoMA director, Glenn Lowry, and SMB director general, Peter-Klaus Schuster, proved to be a deciding factor.
The Neue Nationalgalerie as exhibition venue, being an architectural masterpiece from Mies van der Rohe's late oeuvre, similarly worked in Berlin's favour.
Mies van der Rohe's Neue Nationalgalerie is justifiably celebrated as the "temple of modern art". Featuring a broad selection of masterpieces from the Museum of Modern Art, "MoMA in Berlin", will see this temple of modernism acquire the perfect contents.
'MoMA in Berlin' is a unique stroke of good fortune for Berlin. At the beginning of the twentieth century no other city could rival Berlin as a centre for the art of what we now call Classical Modernism, as a site of encounter and exchange. And no other city, in the face of the horrors of the twentieth century, possesses so little of this former richness today than Berlin.
Hence, 'MoMA in Berlin' provides Berlin with an opportunity to reminisce on its better traditions. At the same time, the exhibition represents a return to the roots. In 1927 MoMA's founding director, Alfred H. Barr, paid a visit to the new branch of the Nationalgalerie at the Kronprinzenpalais. He was impressed by Ludwig Justi's concept of a museum devoted exclusively to modern art.
Alfred H. Barr was equally fascinated by Bauhaus and its advocacy of a synergy of the arts. Thus, it was no coincidence that Barr sought to have the first MoMA museum building, which opened in 1929, designed by Mies van der Rohe, the last director of Bauhaus.
In 2004, on the 75th anniversary of its foundation, MoMA will present sections of its collection in the Mies van der Rohe building.
'MoMA in Berlin' is in no way confined to the mere exhibition of masterpieces of painting and sculpture. Rather, these become the centre of a cultural event which, transcending all artistic genres, connects the two cultural centres, New York and Berlin, with one another in manifold ways.
Hence, thanks to numerous events and many of Berlin's cultural institutions working in cooperation with the exhibition, 'MoMA in Berlin', the year 2004 looks set to be an exciting one for the arts. Where the supporting programme is concerned, negotiations are already underway with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hebbel-Theater and the Berliner Festwochen, not to mention the most important cooperation partner, the State Museums of Berlin.
With this comprehensive mise-en-scène, the institutions will attempt to reveal the context in which these masterpieces of the 20th century were created, thus reaffirming the old Bauhaus ideal behind the Museum of Modern Art's propagation of a synergy of all the modern arts.
In this regard, 'MoMa in Berlin' with its rich supporting programme, makes 2004 an "American year".
First and foremost, however, 'MoMA in Berlin' reflects the almost legendary affection which Berlin and New York have always felt for one another and which has always been a source of mutual artistic inspiration.
'MoMA in Berlin' is funded by the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie. The exhibition is a cooperation between the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Nationalgalerie, which belongs to the State Museums of Berlin, and the Berliner Festspiele.
www.das-moma-in-berlin.de
This monumental exhibition will incorporate works ranging from late Impressionism to high Modernism and beyond to the sphere of contemporary art.
In the face of stiff competition posed by other places of note, Berlin was nevertheless able to hold its ground when it came to securing the exhibition. Here, the excellent relationship between the two institutions, and between MoMA director, Glenn Lowry, and SMB director general, Peter-Klaus Schuster, proved to be a deciding factor.
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The signing of the cooperation agreement at the Neue Nationalgalerie on 29 April 2003 by Glenn Lowry, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, New York and Prof. Dr. Peter-Klaus Schuster, Director General of the State Museums of Berlin and Director of the Nationalgalerie. |
The Neue Nationalgalerie as exhibition venue, being an architectural masterpiece from Mies van der Rohe's late oeuvre, similarly worked in Berlin's favour.
Mies van der Rohe's Neue Nationalgalerie is justifiably celebrated as the "temple of modern art". Featuring a broad selection of masterpieces from the Museum of Modern Art, "MoMA in Berlin", will see this temple of modernism acquire the perfect contents.
'MoMA in Berlin' is a unique stroke of good fortune for Berlin. At the beginning of the twentieth century no other city could rival Berlin as a centre for the art of what we now call Classical Modernism, as a site of encounter and exchange. And no other city, in the face of the horrors of the twentieth century, possesses so little of this former richness today than Berlin.
Hence, 'MoMA in Berlin' provides Berlin with an opportunity to reminisce on its better traditions. At the same time, the exhibition represents a return to the roots. In 1927 MoMA's founding director, Alfred H. Barr, paid a visit to the new branch of the Nationalgalerie at the Kronprinzenpalais. He was impressed by Ludwig Justi's concept of a museum devoted exclusively to modern art.
Alfred H. Barr was equally fascinated by Bauhaus and its advocacy of a synergy of the arts. Thus, it was no coincidence that Barr sought to have the first MoMA museum building, which opened in 1929, designed by Mies van der Rohe, the last director of Bauhaus.
In 2004, on the 75th anniversary of its foundation, MoMA will present sections of its collection in the Mies van der Rohe building.
'MoMA in Berlin' is in no way confined to the mere exhibition of masterpieces of painting and sculpture. Rather, these become the centre of a cultural event which, transcending all artistic genres, connects the two cultural centres, New York and Berlin, with one another in manifold ways.
Hence, thanks to numerous events and many of Berlin's cultural institutions working in cooperation with the exhibition, 'MoMA in Berlin', the year 2004 looks set to be an exciting one for the arts. Where the supporting programme is concerned, negotiations are already underway with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hebbel-Theater and the Berliner Festwochen, not to mention the most important cooperation partner, the State Museums of Berlin.
With this comprehensive mise-en-scène, the institutions will attempt to reveal the context in which these masterpieces of the 20th century were created, thus reaffirming the old Bauhaus ideal behind the Museum of Modern Art's propagation of a synergy of all the modern arts.
In this regard, 'MoMa in Berlin' with its rich supporting programme, makes 2004 an "American year".
First and foremost, however, 'MoMA in Berlin' reflects the almost legendary affection which Berlin and New York have always felt for one another and which has always been a source of mutual artistic inspiration.
'MoMA in Berlin' is funded by the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie. The exhibition is a cooperation between the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Nationalgalerie, which belongs to the State Museums of Berlin, and the Berliner Festspiele.
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Press conference on the occasion of the signing of the cooperation agreement on 29 April 2003 at the Neue Nationalgalerie: Jennifer Russell, Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Collections Support, Prof. Dr. Peter Raue, Chairman of the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie, Prof. Dr. Peter-Klaus Schuster, Director General of the State Museums of Berlin and Director of the Nationalgalerie, and Glenn Lowry, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, New York (from left to right). |
www.das-moma-in-berlin.de
