The concept of the DasMaximum museum in Traunreut is easy to explain: no changing exhibitions, no crowds of visitors, no explanatory texts. Only first-class works by Dan Flavin, Andy Warhol, John Chamberlain, Walter de Maria, Georg Baselitz, Imi Knoebel, Uwe Lausen, Blinky Palermo and Maria Zerres in five halls in daylight.
Nothing but “permanent settlements”, as the legendary gallery owner, art patron and museum founder Heiner Friedrich would say. But now, twelve years after the opening of the museum in Traunreut, the house deviates from this line for the first time. From next Sunday it will offer a cabinet exhibition by the Austrian painter Arnulf Rainer.
The occasion is Friedrich’s 85th birthday. For years he has wanted to show the Austrian painter, whom he has been supporting for decades, in his museum, says Maria Schindelegger, the director of the museum. But that has so far failed due to lack of space. But now the board of trustees has taken action to fulfill Friedrich’s wish. “We have converted our previous warehouse into a small showroom,” reports Schindelegger. It didn’t become a hall, but a pretty cabinet in which Rainer’s works are exhibited as a “birthday surprise”.
The presentation marks the beginning of a loose series in which holdings from the museum collection that have not yet been shown will probably be presented on an annual basis in addition to the permanent exhibition. “Maybe the drawings of one of our artists,” thinks Schindelegger. And with all her love for lasting art, she is looking forward to being able to offer visitors something new.
Birthday weekend at the museum The maximum, Sat. / Sun., April 15 and 16, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., free admission. Opening of the Arnulf Rainer exhibition on Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. Fridtjof-Nansen-Strasse 16, 83301 Traunreut.