Artistic diversity in times of division
From the 1960s to the 1980s, numerous foreign artists worked in both parts of Germany. Many of them came to Germany during the Cold War on scholarships and cultural agreements, accompanied by guest workers, exiles and refugees. These encounters led to an intensive artistic exchange and a lively confrontation with the new environment and political conditions.
Memories and new themes
The artworks of this period often reflect personal memories of landscapes and people. At the same time, the artists explored themes such as flight, exile and everyday life in a foreign country. These experiences found expression in a variety of pictorial traditions, which were further developed in their new homeland. The political and social circumstances also shaped artistic creation and broadened the artists’ horizons.
Art outside the mainstream
Despite being structurally disadvantaged and marginalized on the fringes of the established art scene, these artists succeeded in having a lasting influence on the art discourse in both Germanys. Their works opened up new perspectives and challenged established views. In doing so, they not only created art, but also space for other perceptions and worlds of thought that often found no place in the official art canon.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The exhibition “There is no there there” (advertising) on the website of the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main.