RWE and the Museum Folkwang seal a new partnership with major Expressionism exhibition
Preparations for a special art event are on course. When the exhibition “The Ecstasy of Colour – Munch, Matisse and the Expressionists” opens in the Autumn of 2012 in the Museum Folkwang, it will provide an exceptional art experience, one which not only those participating directly but also the countless friends of Expressionism can look forward to.
- (1888PressRelease) December 15, 2011 - In signing the corresponding contracts a few days ago, RWE AG, the Museum Folkwang and the City of Essen completed the legal formalities.
The exhibition confronts of “Fauves” the so-called wild ones of French art – Henri Matisse, André Derain, Maurice de Vlaminck – with the Norwegian Edvard Munch and the young German and Russian Expressionists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Alexej von Jawlensky, Vassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter and Franz Marc for the first time. The artists in Germany attentively followed this new painting in France and took it as a starting point for their own revolutionary developments.
The Museum Folkwang will take on the complete organization of the exhibition which will be shown from 29 September 2012 to 13 January 2013. RWE is the exclusive partner of the Museum and the Folkwang Museumsverein for this exhibition.
In the words of Dr. Hartwig Fischer, Director of the Museum Folkwang: “Exhibitions like this one can only be put on today in cooperation between city, industry and museum. With this exhibition, we are carrying on the work of Karl Ernst Osthaus, who from 1906 presented exhibitions of Nolde, the “Brücke” artists, of Kandinsky, Jawlensky and Marc as well as Munch and Matisse. This early support by the Museum Folkwang now leads to the exhibition The Ecstasy of Colour – Munch, Matisse and the Expressionists, in which we use key works to show Fauvism’s special role. It reveals a defining age for the development of art in France and especially in Germany. The Museum Folkwang is also able to contribute important works from its own collection to the project.”
Volker Heck, Head of RWE Corporate Communications, explains RWE’s commitment: “For us there are a number of reasons to commit ourselves to the Museum Folkwang and this exhibition. In periods of tight government budgets, we stand by our social responsibilities, which also include supporting the arts. In the Museum Folkwang in Essen, RWE’s hometown, we have an ideal partner for this. RWE, the City of Essen and the Museum are participating equally and our proven partnership dates back many years now.”
RWE’s commitment is also a declaration of belief in the entire Ruhr Area and the people who live here. The Ruhr Area has always been a good home for the many artistic forms of expression.
RWE is pre-financing this exhibition. This model is clearly advantageous for all the partners. The museum gains the necessary financial security without major exhibitions can no longer be presented. RWE can expect a return on their investment from the anticipated revenues and has furthermore stated its willingness to support the necessary communications measures with a significant sum.
The extent of the response to this exhibition, even before it was officially announced, is shown in the fact that the first guided tours have already been booked.
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