2009 - Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

Page 6: Georg Baselitz in his
exhibition “Women of Dresden”
“From Baroque to Baselitz” – this neatly sums up the wideranging
exhibition activities of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen
Dresden during 2009. However, the spectrum
of special exhibitions on display in 2009 is even broader
than that. The themes of the exhibitions could hardly be
more diverse. They range from classical sculptures, which
were first shown to much acclaim at the Museo Nacional
del Prado in Madrid and then from May onwards in the
Japanisches Palais in Dresden, to contemporary works by
Martin Eder, whose provocative paintings launched the
annual series of exhibitions of contemporary art in the
Kunsthalle im Lipsiusbau in January 2009.
A cross-section through the centuries
In 2010 the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden will be
celebrating the establishment of the Kunstkammer by
Elector August 450 years ago – under the motto “Zukunft
seit 1560” (State of the Art since 1560). From that time
onwards, the electors and kings of Saxony collected topquality
objects which they considered of importance, so
that from generation to generation their collections of
magnificent works of art and prestigious objects, beautifully
crafted precision tools and measuring instruments,
sculptures and paintings, fragile textiles, fine silverpoint
drawings and precious porcelain wares continued to grow.
Later, Daguerreotypes from the early period of photography,
Expressionist drawings by members of the artists’
group “Brücke”, as well as 20th-century sound and video
installations were added to the collections. Today, Dresden’s
museums make the city a world-ranking centre for
View of the exhibition
”Martin Eder. The Dark Abyss” The opening of the exhibition
”Georg Baselitz. Women of Dresden”
from left to right: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Bischoff,
Prof. Dr. Martin Roth, Georg Baselitz,
Dr. Andreas Henning
the arts. The numerous exhibitions staged by the Staatliche
Kunstsammlungen reflect the incredible diversity of the
museums and when looking back on the exhibition year
2009 it is as if one had drawn a cross-section through the
centuries and compressed all the knowledge, art and
perception acquired over a period of four and a half centuries
into just one year. The simultaneous presentation
of ancient and contemporary art, from the Baroque to
Baselitz, from Canaletto to China provides discursive access
to the world of artistic and intellectual history and in its
complexity it gives the visitor an experience that goes
beyond the mere enjoyment of art.
Constant engagement with the cultural legacy
The basis for all exhibition activities is constant engagement
with the cultural heritage of which we are the custodians.
Whereas 450 years ago it was first and foremost
the princely collector who took care of the treasures in the
Kunstkammer, today a large team of experts is responsible
for the works of art exhibited in the museums. Nowadays,
scholarly investigation of the objects and the preservation
of the works of art by restorers are just as important as
collecting activities, the presentation of the works in exhibitions
and the duty of museums to educate the public.
Without continuous academic research regarding their
holdings, the development of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen
Dresden would come to a standstill. Research
on museum objects requires the combined skills of art
historians and natural scientists, with scientific analysis
supporting the investigations of art historians.
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