Udo Kittelmann on Reviving Berlin's Nationalgalerie
Udo Kittelmann, director of Berlin's Nationalgalerie since 2008, oversees six state museums spanning 19th to 21st-century art. In an interview, he outlines long-term plans to restore Berlin's status as a cultural capital. He emphasizes collaboration across institutions and disciplines, citing upcoming exhibitions: a Hans Bellmer and Louise Bourgeois show at Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, a Menzel exhibition at Alte Nationalgalerie tied to the Berlin Biennale, and a Rudolf Stingel survey at Neue Nationalgalerie. Kittelmann advocates for a unified profile across the museums while respecting each venue's distinct character. He defends his controversial exhibition 'Die Kunst ist super!' at Hamburger Bahnhof as a subjective, debate-provoking approach. Regarding acquisitions, he prioritizes strengthening existing collections over expansion due to tight public budgets.
Key facts
- Udo Kittelmann has been director of the Nationalgalerie in Berlin since November 2008.
- The Nationalgalerie comprises six museums: Alte Nationalgalerie, Neue Nationalgalerie, Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum Berggruen, Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, and Friedrichswerdersche Kirche.
- Kittelmann's first exhibitions included a Thomas Demand retrospective and 'Die Kunst ist super!' at Hamburger Bahnhof.
- Upcoming exhibitions include Hans Bellmer / Louise Bourgeois at Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg (April 24 – August 15) and Rudolf Stingel at Neue Nationalgalerie (until May 24).
- The Alte Nationalgalerie will host the 6th Berlin Biennale (June 11 – August 8).
- A donation of over 160 works from the Flick collection has been added to the Nationalgalerie's holdings.
- Kittelmann believes Berlin's cultural potential is far from exhausted due to its diversity.
- He advocates for a common curatorial line across the Nationalgalerie museums.
Entities
Artists
- Udo Kittelmann
- Thomas Demand
- Hans Bellmer
- Louise Bourgeois
- Rudolf Stingel
- Adolf Menzel
- Anselm Kiefer
- Marcel Duchamp
- Roman Ondák
- Jochen Alexander Freydank
- Walton Ford
- Bruce Nauman
- Michael Fried
Institutions
- Nationalgalerie Berlin
- Alte Nationalgalerie
- Neue Nationalgalerie
- Hamburger Bahnhof
- Museum Berggruen
- Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg
- Friedrichswerdersche Kirche
- Berlin Biennale
- Kölnischer Kunstverein
- MMK Frankfurt
- Tate Modern
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
- artpress
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Frankfurt
- Cologne
- Paris
- France
- Charlottenburg
Sources
- artpress —