Chemnitz presents major Munch exhibition - painting returns

Fear and loneliness: the Chemnitz art collections are dedicating an extensive exhibition to the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944) and the themes of his life. According to the curators, they have brought together 140 works of art: almost 100 works by Munch himself as well as many works by other artists such as Andy Warhol, Neo Rauch and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, which relate to Munch's paintings and prints.

In addition to Munch's world-famous scream motif, which is being shown as a lithograph, a painting is returning to Chemnitz for the first time. Purchased for the collection in 1928, it was sold by the National Socialists in 1937. "Two people. The Lonely Ones" shows a woman and a man on a Nordic beach looking out to sea. There is not only a physical distance between them, but also an emotional one. It can now be seen again in Germany and Chemnitz for the first time in almost 90 years, said Florence Thurmes, General Director of the Kunstsammlungen.

1905 stay in Chemnitz

Munch is considered an important pioneer of modernism. He once spent a few weeks in Chemnitz himself - in 1905 at the invitation of a textile entrepreneur. During this time, he created several paintings and drawings, two of which can be seen in the exhibition: the portrait of Herbert Esche and the landscape painting "View of the Chemnitz Valley".

Chemnitz is this year's European Capital of Culture together with the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica on the border with Italy. The Munch exhibition "Angst" is one of the highlights of the program. It can be seen from August 10 to November 2 at the Kunstsammlungen am Theaterplatz.