In response to the challenges and crises of the twentieth century, artists embarked on a journey to question the world and explore new horizons. While art provided havens and spaces for reflection, it also functioned as both a mirror and an engine for social change. The K20 Collection’s newly redesigned presentation weaves together the diverse histories of abstraction with contemporary issues.
The collection on display at K20 has been assembled since 1961 and includes major works of classical modernism. A selection of the more than 120 works by Paul Klee gives an impression of the rich holdings. The presentation also includes high-quality paintings by artists such as Max Beckmann, Wassily Kandinsky, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso.
At selected points, pictures from the historical avant-garde enter into dialogues with works by contemporary artists of the non-Western canon, including Etel Adnan, Nevin Aladağ, and Kader Attia. In addition, classical works by the Surrealists Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Joan Miró, and Max Ernst are complemented by recent acquisitions of Egyptian Surrealism.
Movements after the end of the Second World War are represented by works by the likes of, among others, Francis Bacon, Alberto Giacometti, and Helena Vieira da Silva. The monumental installation Palazzo Regale by Joseph Beuys is on permanent display.
Take a look at the collection