German Architecture Museum, Frankfurt am Main
10 May – 19 October 2014
Guided tours on Saturday and Sunday, 15:00
In 2014 Deutsches Architekturmuseum will be proudly presenting a true treasure: the diary entries by the DAM’s founding director Heinrich Klotz. He relied on a truly world-wide network and personally knew all the major architects of the day, including among others Rem Koolhaas, Frank Gehry, Aldo Rossi, Hans Hollein, Richard Meier, Peter Cook and Tadao Ando.
On the occasion of DAM’s 30th anniversary, the most important works Klotz acquired from these architects will be on show in a “Wunderkammer” – but the marvels will also include an oil painting by Martin Kippenberger, a collage by Christo and invaluable drawings, models, furniture, original components, and photos.
DAM was the first new museum to be inaugurated on Frankfurt’s “Museumsufer”. Moreover, it was the world’s very first Architecture Museum with a programmatic and striking architecture, not to mention a collection that reflected the contemporary and increasingly globalized architectural scene. In his many powerful books and articles, and especially in his legendary architecture exhibitions, Klotz saw it as his mission to spearhead an international movement that went down in history as Postmodernism.
Postmodern architecture continued to shape the face of Frankfurt: Schirn Kunsthalle, Messeturm, Museum für Moderne Kunst and other major eye-catching buildings as Kunsthalle Portikus all arose at that time. Not that there were no opponents. Yet with the benefit of hindsight, the pluralism Klotz championed has won the day. Irony, Pop themes and historical quotations are long since accepted elements of architecture.
From 17 October the Museum Angewandte Kunst shows the exhibition “1984 – Zeit zwischen den Zeiten”, which will celebrate the founding year of the DAM as groundbreaking year of the era for fashion, music and pop culture.
