Hombroich: An Art Island in the Industrial Rhine Region
In the industrial area of Düsseldorf, Insel Hombroich, located near Neuss, spans 25 hectares and was purchased by Karl-Heinrich Müller in 1982. Following renovations in 1987, it was inaugurated as "the most beautiful private museum in Germany." Artists have significantly altered the site, with Erwin Heerich designing exhibition pavilions, Gotthard Graubner curating diverse displays, and Anatol Herzfeld installing large sculptures. Landscape architect Bernhard Korte revitalized the park and restored its natural features. The site features eleven pavilions that enhance the relationship between interior and exterior spaces, utilizing solely natural light. The collection encompasses antiquities from Asia, Mexico, Africa, and Oceania, alongside contemporary works. A foundation was established in 1996, and in 1994, the project expanded to include the Raketenstation. The Langen Foundation opened its doors in 2004, offering a range of cultural events.
Key facts
- Insel Hombroich is a 25-hectare art and nature refuge near Neuss in the industrial region of Düsseldorf.
- Karl-Heinrich Müller acquired the site in 1982; it opened in 1987 after renovation.
- The museum is called 'the most beautiful private museum in Germany'.
- Erwin Heerich designed exhibition pavilions based on his cardboard sculptures.
- Gotthard Graubner proposed the eclectic display mixing modern art with protohistoric objects.
- Anatol Herzfeld placed giant sculptures like rusted iron chairs and marble blocks.
- The collection includes Asian, Mexican, African, and Oceanic antiquities alongside modern artists like Cézanne and Brancusi.
- In 1994, the project expanded to the Raketenstation, a former NATO base.
- The Langen Foundation by Tadao Ando opened in 2004, housing the Langen collection.
- Since 1995, the International Institute for Biophysics collaborates with Princeton University.
Entities
Artists
- Karl-Heinrich Müller
- Erwin Heerich
- Gotthard Graubner
- Anatol Herzfeld
- Kitty Kemr
- Bernhard Korte
- Paul Cézanne
- Lovis Corinth
- Medardo Rosso
- Constantin Brancusi
- Bart van der Leck
- Alfred Jensen
- Ellsworth Kelly
- Norbert Tadeusz
- Rembrandt
- Jean Arp
- Kurt Schwitters
- Ute Langanky
- Christoph Staude
- Katharina Hinsberg
- Oswald Egger
- Raimund Abraham
- Per Kirkeby
- Oliver Kruse
- Tadao Ando
- Alvaro Siza
- Katsuhito Nishikawa
- Michael Growe
- Georg Schmidt
- Viktor Langen
- Marianne Langen
- Heiner Müller
- H.C. Artmann
- Oskar Pastior
- Sarah Kirsch
- Peter Waterhouse
- Franz Josef Czernin
- Lew Rubinstein
Institutions
- Insel Hombroich
- Raketenstation
- Langen Foundation
- International Institute for Biophysics
- Princeton University
- NATO
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
- Kröller-Müller Museum
- Chinati Foundation
Locations
- Neuss
- Germany
- Düsseldorf
- Lower Rhine
- Erft River
- Humlebaek
- Copenhagen
- Denmark
- Otterlo
- Arnhem
- Netherlands
- Marfa
- Texas
- United States
Sources
- artpress —