Hamburger Kunsthalle
May 2023
May 12–August 27, 2023 A major double show at the Hamburger Kunsthalle will bring together for the first time the work of two of the most internationally renowned artists of their generation: Vija Celmins (b. 1938 in Riga) and Gerhard Richter (b. 1932 in Dresden). The transatlantic dialogue promises to reveal some surprising parallels – not only shared themes and the use of photographic templates but also an interrogation of the elementary conditions of representation. What is reality, what is representation? And how can human perception, how can seeing itself, be made visible? Vija Celmins’s impressive paintings and drawings are all too rarely exhibited in Europe, and the Hamburger Kunsthalle would like to contribute to greater public awareness of her work. At the same time, juxtaposing such a strong female position with the work of Gerhard Richter, so often presented as a singular phenomenon, provides an opportunity to look at his oeuvre with a fresh eye. The exhibition will comprise some 60 paintings, drawings, prints and objects by the two artists, who live in New York and Cologne, respectively. The spectrum ranges from works dealing with everyday objects, to an engagement with war and migration, and onward to philosophical reflections on art. Fascinatingly realistic seascapes await discovery, along with studies on the colour grey and a wide variety of reflections and duplications that explore the reality of the image. A direct dialogue between the works of Celmins and Richter enables a comparative view, with small interspersed chapters shedding light on key aspects of their practice. Learn more at Hamburger Kunsthalle.