In the shadow of Gabriele Münter,
pioneer and modernist
The Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern and, in 2023 the Museo Thyssen-Bornesmisza in Madrid, is presenting a thematic and chronological retrospective of the oeuvre of Gabriele Münter. Often in the shadow of her husband Wassily Kandinsky, this exceptional woman, which will travel between Europe and the USA, will transform her art during her whole lifetime.
The artist, which is born on the 19th of February 1877 in Berlin, will be one of the youngest of four children of the Münter family.
While she was born in Germany, her mother and her father as immigrated to the USA at one moment. Thus, a part of their family will stay there.
Sadly, when she was only 9 years old, her father dies. This will lead to reconstruct herself and to find a way into the art with a Private Women Art School in the German town of Düsseldorf. But, while finishing her studies her mother dies…
She will move back with her sister Emmy and travel to North America between 1898 until 1900. They will encounter their American part of their family but, also, travelled extensively between New York, Texan, Missouri and Arkansas. This will be captured by a group of 400 photographs she made during this trip due to a gift of a Kodak Bull’s Eye N°2 camera in 1899.
The start of something NEW, in Germany
While returning to Europe in the year of 1900-1901, Münter will move to Munich and resumes her training at the Women Artists Association Ladies Academy. This will lead to multiple experimentations with woodcuts, paintings and drawings while entering into the Phalanx School, which was cofounded by Wassily Kandinsky.
While both of them share some paintings classes and a trip to Kochel and Kallmünz, the duo is not officially together because Kandinsky is still married. In the coming year, Münter and Kandinsky will travel to numerous places such as the Netherlands, Tunisia and Italy.
Paris = Modern ?
In the early 20th century, the couple spend a year, between 1906 and 1907, between Paris and Sèvres. This will lead the artist to attend the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and to exhibit for the first time at the Exposition du Salon des Artistes Indépendants in 1907 and at the Salon d’Automne. During this fruitful year, she will progress her technique of linoleum cuts and oil paintings inspired by the Parisian avant-garde.
Sadly, the couple had to come back to Berlin from 1907 until 1908 due to the artist first exhibition at the Kunstsalon Lenobel in Cologne in the early 1908. Thus, she will present the oeuvre she made during her Parisian period, mostly inspired by the impressionist.
Nature and freshness
After all of those big events, she will find herself in the small town of Murnau, with Kandinsky, Jawlensky and von Werefkin. This will be one of the key moments of her practice, because she will move from her impressionist style to a colour scheme method.
But, it’s also a full group experience in Murnau with Kandinsky, Jawlensky and von Werefkin. She will buy a newly made house and decorate the interior of the house while inviting avant-garde artist such as Paul Klee.
This will lead to become one of the cofounders of the New Artists Association of Munich. The first show, which was installed in the Gallery of Heinrich Thannhauser Moderne Gallerie in Munich (one of the most important European art dealers of the time), will present 21 works by Münter.
While the exhibitions made with the groups are not well received by the local press, Franz Marc will write an enthusiastic letter to the gallery “We should join in and help and not discourage (them) with foolish laughter (…) Anyone with eyes must see here the powerful draw of a new art (…).”
Thus, the duo will visit many artists such as Franz Marc, August Macke. But, the group of artists, which was about to make an exhibition for the New Artists Association of Munich, will be rejected by the other artist.
This will lead to an independent exhibition between the artist, the first exhibition of the Editorial Board of the Blue Rider. Afterward, Klee will join this new group.
The war
One year before the start of the war, Münter will have one of her largest exhibition at the Herwarth Walden's Gallery Der Sturm in Berlin. While showcasing 84 pictures, she’s paying an hommage to the visit of Klee and Kandinsky with the picture “Man in an Armchair” (Paul Klee) from 1913.
In 1914, with the start of the First World War, Kandinsky must leave Germany due to his Russian origin. This will lead them to move to Switzerland, where the family of Klee will take care of them. Due to an important pressure from his family, Kandinsky will go back to Russia.
This will lead to a new beginning for Münter, starting in the year between 1915-1916.
While she has her life between Munich and Berlin, she will move to the Scandinavian. During those time, Klee will take care of the oeuvre of Münter and hope to see the couple back in Switzerland. While the two of them meet in Stockholm in December 1916, Kandinsky and Münter will never meet again.
Thus, she will stay in Copenhagen for three years until the return to Germany in February 1920. While living between Berlin, Munich, Cologne and Murnau.
In 1925, she started to be recognized as a couple of artists: Münter and Kandinsky. With the travelling exhibition Gabriele Münter - Kandinsky, which begins at the Cologne Art Association, the exhibition will later travel to Berlin and to Seven German cities.
Due to this reconnection with Kandinsky, they decided to split in two the paintings by Kandinsky which was still in her atelier in Germany. During those time, she will take various courses at the Arthur Segal painting school (1926) and travel to Ticino to visit Marianne von Werefkin and Alexei von Jawlensky. At that time, she fell in love again with the art historian and philosopher Dr. Johannes Eichner.
To celebrate their relation, they will take a year long trip to France and to different cities such as Paris, Chamonix, Avignon, Marseilles, etc.
Nature and freshness
But, Murmau will be her favourite place to leave. Thus, in 1931 she settled there, permanently.
Multiple exhibitions will be devoted to her art such as the “Gabriele Münter: 50 Paintings for 25 Years (1908-1933)” at the Paula Modersohn-Becker-Haus in Bremen.
While the National Socialist movement take shape in Germany, she decided to join the Reich Chamber of Fine Arts to protect her art and her opportunities to exhibit and sale.While most of her friend from the Bleu Rider group will be considered degenerate, she will never have this status.
After the war, the artist will exhibit at the 25th Venice Biennal and receive the city of Munich Art Prize. And even her first exhibition in the USA in Los Angeles and in San Francisco.
Gabriele Münter passed away, in her home in Murnau on May 19 1962.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Zentrum Paul Klee
Date: 29.1.2022 – 8.5.2022
Curators: Dr. Fabienne Eggelhöfer
Ticket: Available on the website of the Zentrum Paul Klee OR at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the Zentrum Paul Klee
Zentrum Paul Klee
Monument im Fruchtland 3
CH-3001 Bern
Phone: +41 31 359 01 01
Fax: +41 31 359 01 02
Mail: info@zpk.org