Old Masters meet the new, bridging the gaps in the KHM’s collection with an new exhibit, “The Shape of Time”.
Despite representing some 5,000 years of human artistic endeavour, the 200 years before our present day are perennially underrepresented in the collection of the venerable Kunsthistorisches Museum. In the first group exhibition conceived as part of their Modern and Contemporary program, modern and contemporary artworks are juxtaposed with items from the KHM’s extensive collection, inviting visitors to see both in a new light.
Rather than trying to provide an overview of the last two centuries in art, the newer works engage in an artistic dialogue over the ages. Curated by Jasper Sharp (see “Emissaries for Art,” MET March 2018), “The Shape of Time” shows major works on loan by artists such as J.M.W. Turner, Claude Cahun, Mark Rothko, Maria Lassnig, Eleanor Antin, Steve McQueen, Catherine Opie and Peter Doig. Carefully placed next to the likes of Rembrandt, Brueghel or Caravaggio, the interplay of centuries, cultures and ideas suggest that some human experiences might be, in fact, eternal.
Mar 6 – Jul 8, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Maria-Theresien-Platz, khm.at
