Dear You,
I promised to tell you about the Berlin exhibition Edvard Munch. And though I will travel to Wien on Tuesday, I sit here in the early morning in Bavaria, singing a duet with "The Frog King":"What you promised you have to deliver".
The Berlinische Galerie writes:
Edvard Munch (1863–1944) challenged his contemporaries with the radical modernity of his paintings, especially in Berlin, where the Norwegian Symbolist exerted a big influence around the turn of the century. The exhibition “Magic of the North” is a partnership with the MUNCH in Oslo. It tells the story of Edvard Munch and Berlin, illustrated by paintings, prints and photographs.
Among the 80 exhibits you will not find "The Scream" (sounds like cultural names-dropping when I mention that I saw it a few weeks ago in "Secessionen.Klimt, Stuck, Liebermann" at the Alte National Galerie in Berlin. :-).
I'll just give you a few headers of the exhibition:
"Scandal. Berlin. City of Art. Exhilaration. Scream. Collapse. Psyche. The North. Life and Loves. Digs and Homes."
And photos of a few paintings:
So: if you are in Berlin - and promise (!) to be not too impatient
PS: I add a few words of Florian Illies' review in DIE ZEIT:
I like the art and I am trying to remember what I learnt about The Scream.
ReplyDeleteDear Andrew, sorry to answer so late! "The Scream" was painted in 1893 and exists one in colour (mostly sunset red) and one in black&white. You see a person on a bridge with its face between its hands, big mouth screaming. Munch explained it as "symbol of Angst in mankind".
DeleteThanks Britta. I am assuming that most of us don't know about Munch's long years living in Oslo and don't know how the radical modernity of his paintings was influenced by this northern experience. So it is excellent that the exhibition “Magic of the North” is a partnership with the MUNCH in Oslo.
ReplyDeleteDear Helen, I was in Vienna, thus answer so late, sorry. I found the connection between Berlin and Norway also very interesting. He led a hard life (sometimes very heavy drinking)
DeleteLovely post! Thanks for visiting my blog Britta :)
ReplyDeleteHave a happy Sunday and take care...
Titti
I'm glad you joined, dear Titti!
DeleteI saw Edvard Munch's The Scream many, many years ago whilst holidaying in Norway. I didn't really understand or appreciate it then.
ReplyDeleteNow, of course, I know that his childhood was overshadowed by both illness and bereavement, and that he had a dread of inheriting a mental condition that ran in the family.
Today the painting is more readily understood as people now tend to be more open about their mental health issues.
Dear Rosemary, I understand you very well. At the Berlin exposition I saw a few paintings I liked - but there were also some (famous) ones, that looked a bit kitschig to me.
DeleteHis life was not an easy one.
I went to see the Munch/Emin exhibition at the Royal Academy in a brief window of opening of galleries in 2021. They are a well matched pair and Emin has long said that Munch was the artist who influenced her most as a young student. I would love to visit the Berlin exhibition. Andrew says he is not sure what he learnt about The Scream; perhaps one thing is that there is more than one Scream - Munch did four of them.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel, wow!
DeleteI am sure you would love the Berlin exhibition - and add the highly interesting "Successionen".
I was now in Vienna for almost a week - they lent a lot of their art to Berlin.
The paintings evoke so many emotions. They are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDear Emma, yes, many express often melancholy or other deep emotions (jealousy, angst, loneliness)
DeleteI have been disgracefully absent from your lovely pages, dear Britta, but am heartened to read you've been busy busy, too, with delightful outings and whatnots. Thank you for fulfilling your promise to show-and-tell this exhibition. If I lived nearer I'd be very keen to make a trip to Berlin to see it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pip, and yes: busy busy bees we are. I am looking waiting for your next post!
DeleteAnd am sure you would find in Berlin some exquisite objects d'art for your second blog, which I also ever enjoy.