Exhibitions

Russian avant-garde / exhibition series Museum Ludwig, Cologne

Few movements have shaped twentieth- and twenty-first-century art as much as the russian avant-garde. These artists' social and aesthetic engagement continues to possess extraordinary relevance even in the present day. With over 800 works, the Museum Ludwig is home to one of the world's largest and broadest collections of the Russian avant-garde from the pre- and postrevolutionary periods of ca 1905-1930. Major examples of Neoprimitivism, Cubo-Futurism, Rayonism, Suprematism and Constructivism make meaningful insights into these various movements possible.
This exhibition series highlights new aspects of the collection, its major focuses and outstanding features.

PART 1: MAY 2009 -DECEMBER 2009
"A SLAP IN THE FACE OF PUBLIC TASTE."
CUBOFUTURISM AND THE RISE OF MODERNISM IN RUSSIA

To mark the 100th anniversary of Marinetti's Futurist Manifesto, the opening presentation is dedicated to the rise of Modernism in Russia. Approximately 40 works by 23 artists, some of which are being shown for the first time, reflect the heady exchange of ideas between the Russians and their colleagues in Italy and France prior to World War One. Major examples of Cubo-Futurism by Popova and Exter can be discovered alongside Rayonist works by Larionov and Goncharova.

PART 2: 5 FEBRUARY - 22 AUGUST 2010
KAZIMIR MALEVICH AND SUPREMATISM IN THE LUDWIG COLLECTION

The Museum Ludwig holds one of the world's largest collections of Kazimir Malevich's works and for the first time in twenty years, this entire collection will be on display. Paintings, sculptures and drawings that span his career allow a new understanding of the artist's transitions from figurative, to abstract, and back to figurative art. A technical study of four Malevich paintings will be undertaken. Additionally, Suprematist works by artists from Malevich's circle will complement the exhibition.

LENI HOFFMANN: RGB
26.9.2009-28.3.2010

Leni Hoffmann is the first contemporary artist who has been invited to work with and on the ideas of the Russian avant-garde as a part of this exhibition series. Similarly to El Lissitzky in his time, she questions the autonomy of art and painting in particular. Through her site-specific, usually temporary paintings in space she creates a new and active dialogue between artwork, space/place and viewer. At the Museum Ludwig her works will be built in the foyer, on the rooftop terrace, in exhibition galleries and directly in front of the building.

Curator of the exhibition series: Katia Baudin-Reneau
Research Associate: Emily Evans
Art Technological Examinations: Petra Mandt

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Public Tours

Information and bookings of individual tours

Catalogue

A publication series will be published.

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Additional current Exhibitions

• Russian avant-garde / project series, Museum Ludwig, Köln
• Exhibition series “Saw it, Loved it”
• Wade Guyton
• Moving Images. Artists & Video / Film
• Photographs from 19th Century Japan and China
• Roy Lichtenstein. Kunst als Motiv