Kollwitz. Taking a Stand

Examines the art and passion of Käthe Kollwitz, who used art to bring a voice to political issues.

Raw, unprettified, and decried in conservative circles as “gutter art,” Käthe Kollwitz employed her art uncompromisingly as a political voice for the social and human misery of her time. Her focus always lay on the dignity of humankind. Taking a Stand provides wide-ranging insight into the commitment and creative work of the artist, whose achievements are more topical than ever. It covers the entire spectrum of Kollwitz’s creative work, including the world-famous cycles of the graphic works A Weavers’ Revolt and Peasants’ War, rare proofs, moving drawings, and sculptures, each of which showcases all facets of her masterful skills. The political dimension of Kollwitz’s art becomes tangible in a particularly impressive manner through her posters. The unbroken validity of her work is demonstrated in a juxtaposition with the interventions by the contemporary artist Mona Hatoum, which revolve around topics such as vulnerability, persecution, and the experience of conflict.