The 20th century is represented by the anniversary exhibition "Klimt and Kunstschau 1908" in Vienna and a major Picasso retrospective in Rome. Museums in Paris, on the contrary, opt for ancient art – these are exhibitions of Mantegna and Van Dyck. Finally, after successfully completing their business affairs and registering Offshore Bank Accounts, in Madrid one can see Rembrandt's historical painting (at the Prado) and avant-garde from the time of World War I (at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum).
London's Tate Modern this fall presents Mark Rothko's abstractions to the public. Berlin museums will host a cycle of exhibitions "Iconic Artists," also focusing on 20th-century art. In The Hague, however, a classic "Dutch Cityscape" opens.
Let us not forget to mention October "exhibitions" of a completely different kind: the wine fair Megavino-2008 in Brussels and the International Book Fair in Frankfurt am Main. Anyone wishing to attend several of these events will have to rack their brains devising a complex route through the countries of the Old World. Fortunately, the Schengen visa allows it. Read more about the artistic and cultural events in Europe in the upcoming October in the next issue of our regular column.
AUSTRIA
Exhibition "Gustav Klimt and Kunstschau 1908," until January 11, Vienna. The 1908 Vienna Kunstschau went down in history as an exhibition that showcased contemporary Austrian art in its full scope and diversity. It was timed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph's reign. At that time, a wooden exhibition complex with 54 exhibition halls, inner courtyards, gardens, and a café was built on an area of 6,500 square meters. 176 artists, sculptors, and designers presented their works there, including Josef Hoffmann, Koloman Moser, Carl Moll, Otto Wagner, Max Oppenheimer, and of course Gustav Klimt, then at the peak of his popularity. At this exhibition, 16 of his paintings were presented, including the famous "The Kiss" (1908). The current fall exhibition at the Belvedere gallery is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Kunstschau 1908. It will feature most of the exhibits from that exhibition, as well as photographs, models, plans, and films illustrating the details of that grand exhibition. //www.belvedere.at
Exhibition "Paul Klee. Melody, Rhythm, Dance," October 16 - February 1, Salzburg. The Salzburg Museum of Modern Art, together with the Bern Paul Klee Zentrum, has prepared an exhibition dedicated to the musical theme in the painting of Swiss artist Paul Klee (1789-1940). He was born into a family of musicians, until 1906 he earned a living playing the violin in a municipal orchestra, and his wife was a pianist. Music was always present in Paul Klee's artistic world. It is believed that many of his works are a graphic arrangement of musical rhythms and chords, and the lyrical nature of his work itself, Klee's artistic language, with its endless possibilities for renewal, seemed to arise from the element of music. The exhibition will feature about 100 works by the artist from European museums and private collections. //www.museumdermoderne.at
BELGIUM
Exhibition of etchings by Giovanni Piranesi, until January 18, Ghent. Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) went down in art history as an architect, archaeologist, theorist, polemicist, draftsman, and engraver. Largely thanks to his vivid imagination, the myth of ancient Rome was established in the 18th century. He fought not only against the archaeological theories of his contemporaries, but also against time itself, which destroys and plunges entire civilizations into oblivion. In this "struggle," he used etching, a technique he constantly perfected. Piranesi not only depicted views of ancient monuments uncovered during excavations, but also created their reconstructions – "architectural fantasies." The exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent presents Piranesi's etchings from the collection of Ghent University and other museum collections. //www.mskgent.be
Exhibition Megavino 2008, October 17-20, Brussels. This year, the largest international wine exhibition of the Benelux countries, Megavino, held at Brussels Expo, will celebrate its 10th anniversary. About 300 producers from 25 countries will present their best products and new wine brands. Chilean and Spanish wines will be in the spotlight, as Belgium in recent years has preferred wines from these countries. Visitors can expect a broad cultural program, including performances by Chilean musicians and master classes from producers. This year, new countries will also participate – Brazil, Romania, Switzerland, Macedonia, and Algeria. Ticket costs €10, tastings included in the price. //www.megavino.be
GREAT BRITAIN
Exhibition "Cold War Modern. Design 1945-1970s," until January 11, London. This fall, the Victoria and Albert Museum will offer an opportunity to get acquainted with the main trends in art and design during the Cold War and the arms race on both sides of the "Iron Curtain." Here, Western European and Soviet architectural projects, Socialist Realist art, and trends in the culture of West and East Berlin will be presented. Visitors will have the chance to explore the art of the "space age" and its reflection in the design of furniture, clothing, and interiors. The exhibition will feature over 300 exhibits – architectural projects and models, paintings, graphics, photographs, films, costumes (for example, space suits for Stanley Kubrick's films), furniture, and installations (for example, "Oasis No. 7" – a kind of utopian space where one can shut oneself off from the world arming itself at breakneck speed). //www.vam.ac.uk
Mark Rothko exhibition, until February 1, London. American artist of Russian origin Mark Rothko (1903-1970) believed that art is 'an adventure, a penetration into another world, exploration of which is available only to those willing to take risks,' and that the task of art is 'the simple expression of a complex thought' (from an open letter to The Times). In the 1940s, Rothko's painting evolved from narrative semi-abstract compositions to absolutely non-objective forms, and by the early 1950s he had simplified the structure of his paintings to two, sometimes three zones of bright pure color. The core of the large exhibition of Mark Rothko at the Tate Modern in London will consist of exactly these works from the last 20 years of the artist's life, including a late series of paintings in black and gray tones. Works for the exhibition have been provided by museums in Europe, the USA, and Japan. Apparently, this will be the most popular autumn exhibition in London. //www.tate.org.uk
GERMANY
Exhibition series 'Cult Artists', until March 1, Berlin. From October to March, a series of exhibitions dedicated to 'cult' artists of the 19th and 20th centuries will be held in several Berlin museums, whose life and work have been mythologized, surrounded by legends, and attracted the attention of generations over the last two centuries. Six exhibitions will open in early October, and four in November.
In early October, three exhibitions will open at the Old National Gallery: 'In the Temple of Art. Artistic Myths of the 19th Century' (until January 18); an exhibition dedicated to the famous creative union of the Romantic era 'Schinkel and Brentano' (October 9 - January 11); and an exhibition of German artist Hans von Marées, unknown in his lifetime and 'discovered' only at the beginning of the 20th century (until January 11).
Three more exhibitions will open at the Museum of Contemporary Art Hamburger Bahnhof: an exhibition of one of the cult postmodernist artists Joseph Beuys (until January 25), 'Andy Warhol and the Stars' (until January 11), and a contemporary art exhibition 'Deconstruction of the Artistic Myth' (until February 22), where visitors will see works by Marcel Duchamp, Sarah Lucas, Martin Kippenberger, and many other artists. //www.kultdeskuenstlers.de, //www.neue-nationalgalerie.de
International Book Fair, October 15-19, Frankfurt am Main. This year, the largest and most influential book fair in the world, the Frankfurt Book Fair, will be held for the 60th time. Every year, representatives of media, publishing, and bookselling companies from 100 countries attend. Last year, 250,000 people visited the exhibition. Books, magazines, newspapers, electronic media, atlases, maps, calendars, and comics will be presented. Concerts and film screenings are expected as part of the exhibition. Admission ticket costs €12. /www.book-fair.com
DENMARK
Exhibition 'Picasso and Women', until January 4, Copenhagen. The ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, together with the Israel Museum (Jerusalem), has prepared the main autumn exhibition 'Picasso and Women'. It will feature 80 prints by the artist, executed in various techniques and dedicated to a single theme: female images. Some researchers consider these late prints by Picasso to be autobiographical, others speak of the encrypted nature of these works, suggesting that they also include male portraits. All these versions will certainly heighten interest in this exhibition, which explores such eternal oppositions as male-female, artist-model. //www.arken.dk
SPAIN
Exhibition of Rembrandt paintings, October 15 - January 6, Madrid. The collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid contains only one painting by the great Rembrandt – 'Artemisia' (1634), so a large exhibition of the artist's paintings is particularly relevant for the museum. The organizers have chosen an unexpected creative perspective on Rembrandt: visitors will be introduced to the master's 'narrative' painting. The exhibition will present 35 paintings and 5 prints from museums in Europe and the USA, which can be conveniently compared with narrative paintings by Titian and Rubens from the Prado's own collection. //www.museodelprado.es
Exhibition '1914! Avant-garde and World War I', October 7 - January 11, Madrid. In early October, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid will open an exhibition dedicated to avant-garde movements in European painting during World War I. Paradoxically, these terrible war events stimulated the rapid development of many avant-garde movements – Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Vorticism, Abstractionism. The exhibition presents about 180 works by many artists, created between 1913 and 1918 and full of prophetic and apocalyptic forebodings, exploring the vivid artistic language of painting of this period. //www.museothyssen.org
ITALY
Exhibition of installations by Ernesto Neto and Bill Viola, until February 28, Rome. Fans of the installation genre can see works by two popular contemporary artists in Rome this autumn and winter. At the MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art, you can see an installation by Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto – a sculpture 'floating' under a glass dome, consisting of plant-like and organic forms. And at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, an exhibition will soon open by contemporary American artist Bill Viola, who is already considered a 'classic of video art'. Visitors will be able to see his monumental installations The Crossing and The Veiling, and video installations dedicated to human feelings and emotions. //www.macro.roma.museum, //www.english.palazzoesposizioni.it
Exhibition 'Pablo Picasso: 1917-1937', October 10 - February 8, Rome. In October, the main autumn exhibition in Rome opens at the Complesso del Vittoriano, dedicated to one of the brightest periods in Pablo Picasso's work - between the two world wars. The trip to Rome in 1917 and the creation of sets and costumes for Russian ballets largely determine the artist's return to decorativism and figuration. The portraits of this period (wife, son) are also interesting, alternating with Cubist still lifes. Since the late 1920s, surrealism increasingly influences the artist's work, reflected in the painting and sculpture of the 1930s, as well as in the series of engravings 'Minotauromachy'. Works from this period are provided for this exhibition by European and American museums. //www.comunicareorganizzando.it
NETHERLANDS
Exhibition 'Dutch Cityscape', October 11 - January 11, The Hague. The flourishing of Dutch cities in the 17th century also affected Dutch art of the 'Golden Age' – including the creation of cityscapes (vedute). The appearance of cities in paintings by masters of that era reflects the poetry of 'cozy quiet', prosperity and measured life. This painting genre is the subject of the exhibition opening in October at the Mauritshuis museum, where visitors will be able to see paintings by P. Saenredam, G. Berckheyde, J. van der Heyden, W. van de Velde, M. Hobberna, A. Cuyp, and even compare Vermeer's 'View of Delft' and Jacob van Ruisdael's 'View of Haarlem'. //www.mauritshuis.nl
FRANCE
Exhibition of Andrea Mantegna, until January 5, Paris. In the 16th century, the popularity of the Italian master Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) was very high. Contemporaries spoke of his magnificent drawing, naturalistic truth, amazing foreshortening, and technical perfection. Modern art historians say that Mantegna is an artist who avoided any classification, standing outside schools and movements, becoming the founder of a painting technique (the oldest painted canvas in Italy is Mantegna's 'Saint Euphemia' from 1454), and also having an undeniable influence on the art of northern Italy and Germany. The large exhibition at the Louvre is an attempt to reconstruct the stages of the artist's creative path and his experimental search for new forms and techniques. //www.louvre.fr
Exhibition of van Dyck Portraits, October 8 – January 25, Paris. The Musée Jacquemart-André in Paris has prepared the main autumn exhibition dedicated to the work of the Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). Although the artist's narrative paintings are distinguished by special subtlety and depth, van Dyck entered art history primarily as a brilliant portraitist. In his works, the depiction of the human face acquires maximum individualization for the first time, while the poses of the characters, on the contrary, express a new ideal of beauty, solemnity, and splendor. At this Paris exhibition, visitors can explore van Dyck's portraits created in different periods of his life, comparing Flemish portraits of Antwerp burghers with portraits of Italian and English aristocrats. Paintings for the exhibition are provided by many European and American museums. //www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com
International Contemporary Art Fair FIAC, October 23-26, Paris. The FIAC contemporary art fair specializes in 20th and 21st century contemporary art and is considered the main event in the calendar of such exhibitions. This year, 190 art galleries from 30 countries will participate in the ambitious project. They will present paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, video works, and photographs from their collections. The main events will take place at the Grand Palais and Cour Carrée du Louvre, with free buses running between them for visitor convenience. A ticket to the fair costs €25. //www.fiac.com
CZECH REPUBLIC
Exhibition Art & Interior, until November 2, Prague. The traditional exhibition 'Art and Interior', which will take place at the Prague Exhibition Grounds (Veletržní palác), is dedicated this year to European architectural projects. The first part of the exhibition presents projects from architectural studios from 9 countries, allowing visitors to judge the main trends in European urban planning. The second part is dedicated to the work of the Italian studio Frigerio Design Group, which seeks to preserve the ancient architectural appearance of modern Italy. And the third part will feature the 20 best architectural projects of Warsaw over the past ten years. //www.ngprague.cz
SWEDEN
'Five Centuries of Illusionism', until January 11, Stockholm. Illusion or reality? This question arises when we encounter works of art that balance on the edge of the real and the fantastic, imitating the visible world, creating the impression of actually existing objects and space. Another translation of the Latin word 'illusio' is 'deception, mockery'. This is the theme of the exhibition at the National Museum of Sweden, which will feature 140 works by artists from five centuries: from Jan van Eyck to the surrealist René Magritte and contemporary artists Anish Kapoor, Christian Andersson, and Olafur Eliasson. The exhibits will include paintings, photographs, sculptures, video and light installations. //www.nationalmuseum.se
SWITZERLAND
Archaeological Exhibition La Tène, until February 15, Zurich. The Swiss National Museum in Zurich is opening an archaeological exhibition dedicated to the La Tène culture. The La Tène culture is primarily the culture of numerous Celtic tribes (approximately 500 BC - beginning of AD), and it takes its name from the excavations near Lake Neuchâtel, when the La Tène site was discovered in 1857. The exhibition is dedicated to new scientific discoveries in the study of the La Tène culture, which will be illustrated by numerous artifacts - weapons, ceramics, jewelry, coins, household items. //www.musee-suisse.ch