Kirchner × Kirchner

In 1933 the Kunsthalle Bern held the biggest retrospective of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner in his lifetime. The German artist, now considered one of the most outstanding protagonists of classical modern art, curated the show in close collaboration with Max Huggler (1903–1994), the then head of the Kunsthalle and later director of the Kunstmuseum Bern. One highlight is the reunification of Alpsonntag. Szene am Brunnen and Sonntag der Bergbauern from the Chancellor’s Office in Berlin. The two works are being shown together for the first time in over 90 years. 

With Kirchner × Kirchner the Kunstmuseum Bern is looking back at that significant event, while presenting Kirchner as the curator of his own work for the first time. Central to the exhibition is the way in which Kirchner interpreted his artistic development, generously revising it by reworking his paintings or writing texts about Heimelf, and the connections that he established between his works. The exhibition includes some 62 works made in the period between 1908 and 1933, from renowned European and American museums and private collections. The selection of exhibits, in combination with the historical background, makes this ambitious exhibition project a unique and multi-layered experience.

Curator: Nadine Franci