The collection presentation for the reopening of the Rieckhallen features ten large-scale works from the past 25 years, including several new acquisitions being presented to the public for the first time. These works raise questions about the future of a museum for contemporary art.

Museum in Motion showcases large-scale installations, sculptures, and photo series from the collection of Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, as well as works from the Bundeskunstsammlung (Federal Republc of Germany’s Contemporary Art Collection), thanks to a recently established long-term strategic partnership. The works explore the evolving role of museums for contemporary art, posing the question of how museums must adapt to the challenges of the present and future.

The exhibition title suggests that museums are dynamic institutions that continually evolve. As society changes, so does art, which is reflected in the close connection between artists, museums, and their environment. A museum for contemporary art is an integral part of society, promoting cultural production and constantly adapting to technological advancements and demographic shifts. With this collection presentation, Hamburger Bahnhof looks to the future, actively addressing these challenges.

New Acquisitions

The collection presentation includes new works by Cevdet Erek, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Anne Imhof, made possible through the support of the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie e. V. and generous patrons, as well as the newly established Hamburger Bahnhof International Companions e. V. Additionally, Jeremy Shaw’s video installation Phase Shifting Index is being acquired for the collection in the context of this presentation.

With these and other acquisitions and gifts, as seen in the current collection presentation Nationalgalerie: A Collection for the 21st Century, Hamburger Bahnhof fulfils its mission to collect contemporary art and further develop the Nationalgalerie’s collection.

The Nationalgalerie’s collection was founded in 1861 through a gift by consul and banker Joachim Heinrich Wilhelm Wagener, who bequeathed his holdings of contemporary 19th-century art to the Prussian state. Since its inception, the collection has been committed to contemporary art and has been expanded from generation to generation. Each new work added to the collection alters and enriches this archive of artistic interpretations of the world for future generations.

Museum in Motion: A Collection for the 21st Century is one of four collection exhibitions at Hamburger Bahnhof, each offering different perspectives on the museum’s extensive holdings. The other presentations are: Nationalgalerie: A Collection for the 21st Century; Joseph Beuys: Works from the Nationalgalerie Collection; and Endless Exhibition.

Artists

Cevdet Erek, Elmgreen & Dragset, Manaf Halbouni, Anne Imhof, Maurizio Nannucci, Ricarda Roggan, Jeremy Shaw, Jasmin Werner, David Zink Yi

Curators

The exhibition is curated by Sam Bardaouil, director of Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, and Gabriele Knapstein, deputy director and head of collections at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart.

The exhibition is supported by Hamburger Bahnhof International Companions e. V.

A permanent exhibition of the Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin