Paul Gauguin (Paris 1848–1903 Atuona, Hiva Oa) was one of the most influential forerunners of modern art. In 1891, he left the art metropolis of Paris and his wife and five children, undertaking a spiritual and artistic journey to French Polynesia, where he would live, apart from one interruption, until his death in 1903. During this phase, he created numerous works, including one of his central paintings, now held in the Nationalgalerie’s collection: Tahitian Fisherwomen of 1891.
This exhibition, taking into account historical precursors and post-colonial debates, is opening for discussion the myth that Gauguin himself created – that of the “savage” artist. For his part, Gauguin was drawing on a colonial dream of an earthly paradise, which allowed him to advance toward a new kind of art.
Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry? approaches the artist from various perspectives and enters current viewpoints into the conversation with works by contemporary artists such as the duo Nashashibi/Skaer (UK), but first and foremost through artistic voices from the South Pacific, such as Angela Tiatia (NZ/AUS), Yuki Kihara (WS/JP), the Tahitian activist and artist Henri Hiro (PF), as well as the poet Selina Tusitala Marsh (NZ).
Paul Gauguin, Arearea no Varua Ino (The Amusement of the Evil Spirit), 1894 © Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry? is an exhibition of the Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, in cooperation with, and adopting the concept of, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, and made possible by the Friends of the Nationalgalerie.
Curated by Anna Kærsgaard Gregersen, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, with Ralph Gleis, Alte Nationalgalerie.
Plan your visit
EXHIBITION VENUE
Alte Nationalgalerie
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Museumsinsel Berlin
Bodestraße 1-3
10178 Berlin
RUN TIME
26. March 2022 – 10. July 2022
ENTRY
Regular: 12 Euro
Reduced: 6 Euro
Ticket includes Collection
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
U-Bahn U5 (Museumsinsel)
U6 (Friedrichstraße)
S-Bahn S1, S2, S25, S 26 (Friedrichstraße);
S3, S5, S7, S9 (Hackescher Markt)
Tram M1, 12 (Am Kupfergraben);
Bus M4, M5, M6 (Hackeschen Markt)
Bus TX (Staatsoper); 100, 200 (Lustgarten)
147 (Friedrichstraße)
OPENING HOURS
Moday
closed
Tuesday
10am – 6pm
Wednesday
10am – 6pm
Thursday
10am – 6pm
Friday
10am – 6pm
Saturday
10am – 6pm
Sunday
10am – 6pm
SPECIAL OPENING HOURS ON HOLIDAYS
Easter (Fri 04/15 – Mon 04/18 2022) 10am-6pm
Ascension(Thu 05/26 2022) 10am – 6pm
Pentecost (Sat 06/04. Juni – Mon 06/06 2022) 10am – 6pm
The exhibition “Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?” conceived by Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek has received the prestigious Danish Art Critic Award on June 15, 2022.
The jury’s decision states:
“The exhibition was a long-awaited critical presentation to a broad public of art, which, from a contemporary perspective, embodies certain awkward and complex elements. By directly addressing the problematic elements of Gauguin’s work in Tahiti, and by contextualising his Western gaze with cultural-historical material, contemporary artists and poets – such as Yuki Kihara, Selina Tusitala Marsh, Henri Hiro etc. – the exhibition created an ambitious forum for reflection, at the same time incorporating issues of how we should look at history today, rather than simply rejecting the unpleasant past.”
You can read the full press release here.
Education and Outreach
Guided Tours
Bookable guided tours for groups
Visit the special exhibition with your close family or friends. An art educator will accompany you on your individual tour. In a personal conversation, you will learn details about the exhibited works, the exhibition concept, and the historical background. The offer can be booked individually. Secure your desired date!
Duration: 60 minutes
German: 90 € plus admission
English: 100 € plus admission
Other foreign languages are available on request
Max. 10 persons
Required: negative test result, complete vaccination or recovery
Information and booking:
service@smb.museum
Tel 030 266 42 42
Public tours for individual visitors
Curator guided tour with Ralph Gleis:
4/14 and 6/16, both at 4pm.
Limited number of participants
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: ticket office / information desk
Required: negative test result, complete vaccination or recovery.
Education and Outreach
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM
Old National Gallery
Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?
25.3. – 10.7.2022
OFFERS FOR ADULTS
Bookable tours for groups
Tour: Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?
A curator will accompany you on your individual tour.
In a personal conversation you will learn details about the exhibited works, the exhibition concept and the historical background.
Secure your desired appointment!
Duration: 60 minutes
German: 90 € plus admission
Foreign languages (English / French / Italian / Russian): 100 € plus admission.
Limited number of participants.
Bookable by phone +49 (0)30 266 42 42 or by e-mail to
service@smb.museum
Please book your tour at least 14 days in advance.
Until further notice, group visits are only possible in conjunction with a booked guided tour. Third-party tours are not possible at this time.
Public tours for individual visitors
The myth of the “wild” artist
Sat / 2 pm / weekly
Paul Gauguin lived on the South Sea island of Tahiti from 1891, with a brief interruption, until his death in 1903. Western, colonial notions of “exoticism” and “eroticism” characterize Gauguin’s paintings of this period. In the exhibition talk, you will learn details about the exhibited works, which are among the artist’s most famous, historical contexts, and current debates.
Participation fee including admission: 15 €
Participation fee with valid admission ticket (annual pass, sponsoring association, ICOM, etc.): 10 €.
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required:>www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: box office / information
Artist Talk with artist Yuki Kihara & screening of “First Impressions: Paul Gauguin”.
Thu 07/07/2022, 6:30pm – 9:00pm / James Simon Gallery.
Artist Yuki Kihara, who is prominently featured in the exhibition “Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?” at the Alte Nationalgalerie with her video work “First Impressions,” is coming to Berlin for a very special finale to the show (running through July 10, 2022).
On July 7, 2022, a conversation between Yuki Kihara and Anna-Catharina Gebbers, curator at Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin and Ralph Gleis, director of the Alte Nationalgalerie will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the large auditorium in the James Simon Gallery.
In the context of this, all 5 episodes of her work “First Impressions: Paul Gauguin” will be shown for the first time in Germany.
Yuki Kihara (she/her/suga) is an interdisciplinary artist of Japanese and Samoan origin. Her artistic work with a research-based approach encompasses historical narratives as well as a wide range of media, including performance, sculpture, video, photography, and curatorial practice. Kihara lives and works in Sāmoa, and has had numerous international exhibitions over the past two decades. At this year’s 59th Venice Biennale, Kihara represents New Zealand and presents her critically acclaimed solo exhibition titled “Paradise Camp” in the pavilion, which will also include the work “First Impressions: Paul Gauguin.”
Limited attendance. Registration required.
Wide Angle | Global Collection Perspectives
Gauguin and Colonialism in Tahiti
Tue, 21.06.2022 /6 – 7pm
In conversation with the audience, curators Anna Kærsgaard Gregersen (Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen) and Ralph Gleis (Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin) will take a closer look at Paul Gauguin’s relationship to colonialism. In doing so, various situations in the exhibition will be visited and the curatorial approach will be explained in the broader context.
Hosted by Sara Steinert, Art and Life – the Monopol Podcast
The conversation will take place in English.
The event is free of charge. Limited number of participants. Online registration required.
Curator’s tour
From a curatorial perspective
Thurs / 4 pm / 4/14, 6/16/2022.
The special exhibition discusses Paul Gauguin’s work against the background of postcolonial debates and confronts his works with positions of contemporary art. Ralph Gleis reports on the exhibition from a curatorial perspective. Ask your questions and join the conversation.
Participation fee including admission: 15 €
Participation fee with valid admission ticket (annual pass, sponsoring association, ICOM, etc.): 10 €.
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: Ticket office / Information
Longing for the South Seas
Exhibition talk for adults with and without visual impairment
Sat / 4 – 6 pm / 2.4., 4.6.2022
Visitors* with and without visual impairment explore the special exhibition “Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?” with all their senses. Tactile objects and material samples will be used.
Participation fee including admission: 15 €
Participation fee with valid admission ticket (annual pass, sponsoring association, ICOM, etc.): 10 €.
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: Ticket office / Information
Longing for the South Seas
Tandem tour for deaf and hearing adults
Sat / 4 – 6 pm / 28.5.2022
Deaf and hearing visitors* explore the exhibitions together and exchange ideas. The tandem tours are conducted in sign and spoken language.
Participation fee including admission: 15 €
Participation fee with valid admission ticket (annual pass, sponsoring association, ICOM, etc.): 10 €.
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: Ticket office / Information
Academy of National Museums in Berlin
Lecture series
Fictions of the “Earthly Paradise
Paul Gauguin lived on the South Sea island of Tahiti from 1891 with a brief interruption until 1903. In his autobiographical story “Noa Noa” he transfigures himself as a dropout in an “earthly paradise”, but ignores the reality of colonialism. The lecture series takes a critical look at Gauguin’s depictions of Tahiti, whose formal language and color composition inspired subsequent artists.
Speaker: Lutz Stöppler
Lecture series
V 5: Thurs / 11-12 h / 2.6., 9.6., 16.6., 30.6.2022
Participation fee: 32 €
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: Auditorium James-Simon-Galerie
Work viewingWed / 22.6.2022 / 2, 3.30 p.m.
Thu / 23.6.2022 / 11 a.m., 1 p.m.
Participation fee including admission: 15 €
Participation fee with valid admission ticket (annual pass, Förderverein, ICOM etc.): 10 €
Limited number of participants.
Online booking required: www.smb.museum/veranstaltungen
Meeting point: Ticket office / Information Alte Nationalgalerie
Education and Mediation at the National Museums in Berlin
The Education, Outreach and Visitor Services Department is the central educational institution of the National Museums in Berlin and, as such, is entrusted with the conception and implementation of offerings in all 15 collections. With a diverse range of events, the National Museums in Berlin address different user groups: Children and families, young people and adults, day-care centers, schools, universities and other educational institutions, individual visitors and groups of visitors.
The entire education and outreach program of the National Museums in Berlin can be found on the website www.smb.museum.
OFFERS FOR STUDENTS
Gauguin – What does art have to do with colonialism?
Paul Gauguin lived largely on the South Sea island of Tahiti from 1891 until his death. Western, colonial notions of “exoticism” and “eroticism” characterize Gauguin’s paintings created during this time. Students will examine selected works by the artist and critically question them.
Sec I and Sec II
60 minutes
30 euros
Max. 15 persons
Covid-19 protective measures
Corona protection measures
Please check our website for the latest Corona virus containment measures: www.smb.museum/informationen-corona
Please note: Measures are subject to change at short notice.
Further Information
Information and Booking
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Education, Mediation, Visitor Services
Phone: +49 30 266 42 42 (Mon – Fri 9 am – 4 pm)
E-mail: service@smb.museum
Education and Mediation at the National Museums in Berlin
The Education, Outreach, and Visitor Services Department is the central educational institution of the National Museums in Berlin and, as such, is entrusted with the conception and implementation of offerings in all 15 collections. With a diverse range of events, the National Museums in Berlin address different user groups: Children and families, young people and adults, daycare centers, schools, universities and other educational institutions, individual visitors and groups of visitors.
You can find the entire education and outreach program of the National Museums in Berlin at: www.smb.museum.
INFORMATION AND BOOKING
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Education, Mediation, Visitor Services
Tel +49 (0) 30 266 42 42 (Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm)
service@smb.museum
The complete education and outreach program of the National Museums in Berlin can be found at www.smb.museum.
Catalogue
Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry? is dedicated to the main works of the famous French painter from his time in Tahiti and his self-presentation as a “wild” artist. In the exhibition, historical backrounds are considered and Gauguin’s oeuvre is confronted with positions of contemporary art and current debates. Artists from the South Pacific such as Yuki Kihara, Henri Hiro and Angela Tiatia create postcolonial counterpoints to Gauguin’s exoticizing dream images. The exhibition catalog is funded by the New Carlsberg Foundation, Copenhagen.
Paul Gauguin – Why Are You Angry?
Publisher: Edited by Ralph Gleis with Anna Kærsgaard Gregersen for the Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
160 pages, mostly color illustrations, 21,5 x 26,3 cm, softcover.
Price of the museum edition: 28 EUR
Order here
Paul Gauguin, APATARAO (Tahitian Landscape), 1891–1895, Öl auf Leinwand, 49 × 54 cm, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen
Alte Nationalgalerie
The Alte Nationalgalerie is the main building of the Nationalgalerie, whose collection is today also distributed among the Neue Nationalgalerie, Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin, Friedrichswerdersche Kirche, Museum Berggruen and the Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection. Its conception goes back to Friedrich Wilhelm IV. It was ceremoniously opened on March 22, 1876, the birthday of Emperor Wilhelm I, as the third museum on the Spree Island.
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Partners
The exhibition Paul Gauguin -Why Are You Angry? at the Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, is made possible by the Friends of the National Gallery.
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