Painter. Mentor. Magician. Otto Mueller and his Network in Wrocław

I opening: 12 October 2018 – 13 March 2019, Neue Nationalgalerie: Neue Galerie im Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin
II opening: 9 April – 30 June 2019, the National Museum in Wrocław

Otto Mueller, Siedzący kochankowie, 1919 — Otto Mueller, *Siedzący kochankowie*, ok. 1919

Alexander Kanoldt, *Autoportret* , 1929, MNWr, fot. Wojciech Rogowicz

Jan Cybis, Martwa natura z lampą i termosem, 1958 — Jan Cybis, *Martwa natura*, 1958, MNWr, fot. Arkadiusz Podstawka

Alexander Archipenko, *Dwie kobiety*, 1920, MNWr, fot. Arkadiusz Podstawka

Otto Mueller, *Dwie dziewczyny / Zwei Mädchen*, ok. 1925, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie, fot. Jörg P. Anders

Otto Mueller, *Akt vor blauem Grund*, um 1929, Sammlung Karsch-Nierendorf, Berlin, fot. Eric Tschernow

Otto Mueller, *Junges Mädchen vor Männerköpfen*, 1929, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie, fot. Jörg P. Anders / Volker-H. Schneider

Horst Strempel, *Masken*, 1946, wł. prywatna, fot. kunst-archive.net

Otto Mueller, *Sommertag*, 1921/22, Nationalgalerie, SMB, fot. Jörg P. Anders

Alexander Kanoldt, *Olevano II*, 1925, Galerie Berinson, Berlin, fot. Friedhelm Hoffmann

The exhibition reveals for the first time the exceptional artistic influence of Otto Mueller (b. 16 October 1874 in Lubawka, Ger. Liebau, d. 24 September 1930 in Oborniki Śląskie, Ger. Obernigk nr. Breslau) on the contemporary artists. The painter held for over ten years the post of lecturer at the State Academy of Fine Arts and Crafts in Breslau (now Wrocław), which during the 1920s was considered one of the most progressive art schools in Europe.

The arts scene in pre-war Wrocław reflected the equally shared influences of Académie Matisse, Expressionism, New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) and Bauhaus, while Otto Mueller – a charismatic and independent artist, emanating the desire for freedom – exerted a crucial influence on its creative output.

The deepest respect which the artist’s work enjoyed then in Wrocław in view of his extensive network of artistic links, survived well into the times of post-war Modernism. The current exhibition provides an opportunity for a new interpretation of this significant chapter in the Polish-German history of art.

Maler. Mentor. Magier. Otto Mueller und sein Netzwerk in Breslau / Malarz. Mentor. Mag. Otto Mueller a środowisko artystyczne Wrocławia – the exhibition was organized by: Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, in collaboration with the Alexander and Renata Camaro Foundation, with the assistance of the following institutions: Freunde der Nationalgalerie, Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Kulturstiftung der Länder, Fundacja Współpracy Polsko-Niemieckiej.