Ruin und Rausch: Berlin 1910–1930 at Neue Nationalgalerie

The Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin presents "Ruin und Rausch. Berlin 1910–1930," a compact exhibition of 35 works on 230 square meters in the left side cabinet of the lower floor. Curated by Uta Caspary and Irina Hiebert Grun, the show is structured in three chapters: "Berlin im Taumel," "Schatten der Großstadt," and "Die urbane Frau." It features paintings, sculptures, film clips, and audio stations with spoken poetry. Highlights include Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's "Potsdamer Platz" (1914), Otto Dix's "Bildnis der Tänzerin Anita Berber" (1925) on loan from Stuttgart, and Lotte Laserstein's "Abend über Potsdam" (1930). The exhibition also incorporates films by Fritz Lang ("Metropolis," 1927) and Walter Ruttmann ("Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Großstadt," 1927). Strategically, the show addresses the museum's space dilemma: its collection of 20th-century art cannot be displayed in full due to limited gallery space. By juxtaposing works favored in West Berlin (expressionist) and East Berlin (realist-naturalist), the exhibition tells a unified Berlin story from both perspectives. No catalog or illustrated brochure accompanies the show.