Kunsthaus Zürich Unveils New Curatorial Concept for Enlarged Collection Display
Kunsthaus Zürich has implemented a new curatorial concept for its collection presentation following the opening of the David Chipperfield extension. The approach was developed by Director Christoph Becker with collection curator Philippe Büttner and curator Mirjam Varadinis. It incorporates four major private collections displayed in dedicated rooms rather than integrated with museum holdings: the Knecht Collection of 45 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings, the Emil Bührle Collection of around 170 Impressionist and early modernist works, the Merzbacher Collection of approximately 75 Expressionist and Fauvist works, and the Looser Collection of around 70 Abstract Expressionist, Minimal and Arte Povera works.
The Signal
The model separates private collections from the Kunsthaus's own acquisitions to highlight contrasting approaches to collecting. Holdings are organized into autonomous clusters suited to specific architectural spaces across the Moser, Müller and Chipperfield buildings rather than following a single chronological sequence. This structure allows private collecting activity to be studied distinctly alongside institutional practice within the same museum complex.
- People: Christoph Becker, Philippe Büttner, Mirjam Varadinis, David Chipperfield
- Museums: Kunsthaus Zürich
- Locations: Zurich
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