The Feuerle Collection to Open in Berlin
A new museum with contemporary art, Imperial Chinese furniture, and Southeast Asian art to open in Berlin.
Spring 2016 sees the opening of The Feuerle Collection in Berlin, a new museum dedicated to Désiré Feuerle’s collection which juxtaposes international contemporary artists with Imperial Chinese furniture and Southeast Asian art. Located in a former Second World War telecommunications bunker that has been renovated by the British architect John Pawson, the museum encourages a conversation between different periods and cultures offering an alternative perception of the antique and creates a new perspective on the artworks, leading viewers through a synesthetic experience.
The collection brings together stone, bronze and wood Khmer sculptures from the 7th-13th century, Imperial Chinese lacquer and stone furniture, wood and stone Chinese Scholar furniture from the Han Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, from 200 BC to the 18th century, and works by Cristina Iglesias, Anish Kapoor, Zeng Fanzhi, and James Lee Byars to name a few.
These pieces have all been chosen and collected by the museum’s founder Désiré Feuerle, a connoisseur of Asian art and art historian who was a pioneer in juxtaposing antiquities with contemporary art through a series of ground-breaking exhibitions in the 1990s.
“I feel that Désiré has a ‘Chinese Eye’ when it comes to his collection which makes him always choose the best pieces.” (Zeng Fanzhi) The former Second World War telecommunications bunker in Berlin Kreuzberg has been transformed by British architect John Pawson who is renowned for his minimalist architecture and sensitivity to existing buildings. Pawson’s previous projects include the Cistercian monastery of Our Lady of Nový Dvůr in Bohemia, the Sackler Crossing at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, and the Luca Brenta B60 Sloop. The Feuerle Collection is the architect’s first project in Berlin.
The Feuerle Collection will open to the public for a preview week from 29 April to 7 May 2016; during this period it will be open daily. After this, The Feuerle Collection will host the 9th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art curated by DIS as one of the main venues.
Berlin Biennale is open to the public from 4 June to 18 September 2016. Through the duration of the 9th Berlin Biennale the exhibition of The Feuerle Collection on the lower ground floor will remain open, while the Berlin Biennale will be shown on the ground floor. The temporary exhibition of the 9th Berlin Biennale will be followed by the official opening of The Feuerle Collection in October 2016.
