Press release Opening of the Exhibition «Paul Klee. Life, Work and Responses»

This new exhibition at the Zentrum Paul Klee focuses on Klee's biography – Paul Klee. Life, Work and Responses. In this biography in pictorial form – a wonderfully artistic biographical narrative – Klee's pictures tell of his family, his travels and his ambivalent attitude toward politics and world affairs. The presentation – thanks to a generous gift from the Klee family – will be the first time that the Zentrum Paul Klee archives are being made available to the wider public. It also provides an insight as to the ongoing influence of Klee's personality and work.

Inspired by Klee's biography, this exhibition features 150 of his artistic works grouped into 14 thematic areas. These are accompanied by 28 display windows with photographs and personal items, letters, books and quotations that depict the main stages of Klee's life – from his creative beginnings around 1900 up to his final works in 1940. Early portraits of his family are on display, as are his later memories of figures in his life. Klee is revealed within the context of the works of his artistic friends Marc, Kandinsky and Kubin, and the presentation also charts his reactions to the First World War and National Socialism. Klee's pictures also reveal his artistic experiments involving expressionism and constructivism, and the Bauhaus and Picasso. The strong influence that Klee's personality and work exerted after his death is also clearly portrayed by the exhibition – how these have fascinated art fans throughout the world and inspired artists, writers and designers to this day.

This collection presentation marks the first time that the Zentrum Paul Klee has provided an insight into its extensive archival holdings. These comprise a wide range of documents and objects relating to Klee that have been systematically assembled over many years – everything from historical papers from his lifetime to musical compositions and Klee-related items created for museum shops. The Zentrum Paul Klee is indebted to the Klee family for its generous gift that forms such an important part of the archive. Paul Klee's son, Felix Klee, preserved these mementos and made a significant portion of them accessible to the public. After his death in 1990 his heirs, Livia Klee-Meyer and Alexander Klee, gifted the archives to the Zentrum Paul Klee.

Hall-naming ceremony in memory of Prof. Dr. Maurice E. MüllerA formal hall-naming ceremony will also be held on the day of the opening of Paul Klee. Life, Work and Responses on 18th September. The exhibition room on the ground floor will now be named after the founder of the Zentrum Paul Klee, Prof. Dr. Maurice E. Müller.

We would be happy to provide you with further details:
Christine Hopfengart, Curator of the exhibition
christine.hopfengart@zpk.org
Tel. +41 (0)31 359 01 36

Maria-Teresa Cano, Director PR & Media
mariateresa.cano@zpk.org
Tel. +41 (0)31 359 01 89

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