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Make way!
The year is already in full swing, and here comes the news from the Kunsthaus and a compliment to you, dear visitors, who made the Nahmad Collection such a successful exhibition. This first presentation of a collection, which actually is just in its beginning stages, was a success because of your support. It is thanks to your numerous visits, your attentive and critical contributions and your very interesting comments, that this unusual experiment has turned out so well. A collection can only come to life when the public can take part. At this point the further developments are still unclear, but the first, and most important, steps have been taken. We are in a decisive year for the Kunsthaus: In November votes will be cast regarding the Kunsthaus extension project by David Chipperfield and we are in the midst of our most ambitious fundraising effort ever. For the first time, this year we will show in full detail all of what we plan for the New Kunsthaus, and especially what the interiors will look like and how they will function. Meet Philippe Büttner, the curator of this exhibition project, our new conservator of the Kunsthaus collection and successor of Christian Klemm. As in various Anglo-Saxon museums, we have an art historian responsible for the whole of the collection, who is in charge of the scientific documentation, handles most requests, and supervises the noteworthy presentation and who, together with the other art historians, coordinates the acquisitions. More than a full-time job it’s an exciting task -- especially in view of the further developments at the Heimplatz.
You should not miss the exhibition of Mexican art from 1900 to the present time; the graphic works of José Guadalupe Posada, a discovery for us here in Switzerland, are in direct dialogue with our newest acquisitions of works by contemporary Mexican artists amongst which are works by Francis Alÿs.
For a long time we have wanted to offer a themed exhibition and now, in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna, we will present a show on wintertime in art from the Renaissance to Impressionism and which, with its extraordinary pieces, will transform our great exhibition hall into a new space of surprising sights and insights.
We look forward to your visit!
Yours, Christoph Becker
