New exhibition @ Kunsthaus Zug: The Collection on the Collection

23 June until 2 September 2018

The collection of Classical Modernism hasn’t just been gathering dust. On the contrary, it has been expanding on its own: Every now and then the Kunsthaus Zug invited contemporary artists to take a look at the collection, choose a historical work and start a discussion by creating something new. There are works that have been created which breathe new life into the old ones. They highlight the topicality of canonical art and in this way underscore their universal validity. And, vice versa, that which is new receives historical depth. Bethan Huws, for example, chose a blue glass by the Viennese architect and designer Josef Hoffman and created a big new type of glass-light-art piece. Till Velten was interested in the story of the Viennese industrialist and Swiss emigré Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, whose silver shaving set can be found in the Kunsthaus collection just as easily as a group of sketches for the famous portrait of his wife, the Golden Adele by Gustav Klimt. Works by Anna Margrit Annen, Heidulf Gerngross, Michael Kienzer, Pavel Pepperstein, Christoph Rütimann, Richard Tuttle and Heimo Zobernig are just the beginnings of a collection on the collection, created beyond art historical conventions in free interpretation of historical works by Josef Hoffmann, Friedrich Kiesler, Gustav Klimt, Pablo Picasso, Egon Schiele, Fritz Wotruba and others.

Along the same lines, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov are putting their project about an open collection archive for the Kunsthaus Zug up for discussion: The Museum’s Archive is a big and mysterious treasure trove for young and old, where hidden things are brought to light for a split second only to then submerge again in the protective darkness of the archive. This architectural art installation is in the service of one of the most important functions of a museum: The storage of and education through art.

In the exhibition area, visitors receive additional insights into the educational projects of the Stiftung Sammlung Kamm since its inception and residence in the Kunsthaus Zug since 1998.

Curated by Matthias Haldemann and Sandra Winiger

Kunsthaus Zug
Dorfstrasse 27
CH-6301 Zug
Tel (+41) 041 725 33 44
Fax (+41) 041 725 33 45
info@kunsthauszug.ch


Photo Credits:
Bethan Huws
The Large Glass, 2013
Kunsthaus Zug, Stiftung Sammlung Kamm
Foto: Charles Duprat
© 2017, Pro Litteris, Zürich

Source: Kunsthaus Zug