The Pinakothek der Moderne is a modern art museum, situated in central Munich's Kunstareal. Locals sometimes refer to it as the DrittePinakothek after the Old and New. It is one of the world's largest museums for modern and contemporary art. Still Life with Geraniums 1910
The building
Designed by German architectStephan Braunfels, the Pinakothek der Moderne was inaugurated in September 2002 after seven years of construction. The $120 million, 22,000-square-meter building took a decade to finish because of bureaucratic objections to design and cost, which were ultimately bridged by private initiative and financing. The rectilinear facade, dominated by white and grey concrete, is interrupted by large windows and high rise columns, the latter supporting the extensive canopied roof. Each of the four corners of the building, connected by a central domed rotunda, is dedicated to a special collection. The Museum is thus divided into Art, Architecture, Design and Works on Paper. The first floor, containing the art collection, has ample natural light from above, augmented by computer-controlled lamps, designed to keep a consistent, nearly shadowless illumination against the gray floors and white walls.
Collections
Before the opening of the Pinakothek der Moderne, art of the 20th century was largely relegated to the Haus der Kunst, or occasional contemporary exhibits in the Lenbachhaus. Today, the Pinakothek unifies the "Sammlung Moderne Kunst", the "Staatliche Graphische Sammlung", the "Neue Sammlung" with the "Architekturmuseum der Technischen Universität", in one building and is deemed one of the most important and popular museums of modern art in Europe. The Danner Foundation opened in 2004 a new permanent exhibition area in the basement for the permanent loans from the Danner Jewelry Collection which presents contemporary works from over one hundred international goldsmiths.
In contrast to other cities Munich was not much affected by the Nazi regime's banning of modern art as "degenerate art," since only a few modern paintings were already collected by the "Tschudi Contribution" in 1905/1914, like the Still Life with Geraniums of Henri Matisse, the collection's first acquisition. Since 1945, however, the collection, previously exhibited in the Haus der Kunst, has grown quickly by purchase, as well as donations by individuals and several foundations. Various art movements of the 20th century are represented in the collection, including Expressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, New Objectivity, Bauhaus, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art and Minimal Art. In addition to a focused collection policy to individual priorities, the portfolio was extended in particular through the collections, "Theo Wormland", "Sophie and Emanuel Fohn", "Woty and Theodor Werner", "Martha and Mark Kruss", "Günther Franke", "Klaus Gebhard" and the "collection of Franz, Duke of Bavaria" with contemporary German painters such as Jörg Immendorff and Sigmar Polke. Recent enrichment in the year 2006, the collection "Eleanor and Michael Stoffel".
The Collection of applied modernist art was founded in 1925. With around 70.000 objects of industrial design, graphic design and the arts and crafts the "Neue Sammlung" is today one of the world's leading museums of 20th century applied art, and indeed the largest of industrial design. Parts of the expanded collection are exhibited in the basement of the Pinakothek der Moderne. Among others objects about motor vehicle design, computer culture, design of artistic jewelry and furnitures are exhibited.
Collection of works on paper
The Bavarian State collection of work on paper has its origin in the Wittelsbach collections, especially in the print room collection of Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. The ground floor shows alternating exhibitions of one of the most important collection of works on paper in Germany, with old German, Dutch and Italian drawings and German and international drawings of the 19th - 21st century, e.g. from Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee and David Hockney.
