This is what Michael Beck says about the show, which breaks records

Two big names ushered in a new era at the Gulbransson Museum: Beck and Chagall.

With the works of Marc Chagall, gallery owner Michael Beck has brought a special show to Tegernsee that attracts more visitors than ever to the museum.

In the interview he talks about the success and further plans.

Tegernsee

- In the Tegernsee Olaf Gulbransson Museum there is a spirit of optimism.

Michael Beck, born in 1963 as the son of the artists Gisela and Herbert Beck in Tegernsee and today co-owner of the renowned Beck & Eggeling art gallery in Düsseldorf, brought fresh ideas and excellent contacts to the international art scene when he chaired the Gulbransson Society almost a year ago took over.

The current Chagall special show, which he curated, is currently breaking all visitor records for the branch of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

We talked to Beck about the success, new concepts and the future prospects.

The very first special exhibition under your aegis as chairman of the Gulbransson Society breaks all records.

Did the success surprise you?

Michael Beck: “We are now with 12,000 visitors in the fourth month of the exhibition.

It's really overwhelming.

I expected that there would be a lot of visitors - but not that there would be that many.

And that, although initially only a maximum of 21 visitors were allowed into the museum at the same time due to the Corona requirements. "

"The name Chagall naturally attracts"

How do you explain the success?

Is it the artist?

The big name?

Michael Beck: “The name Chagall is naturally attractive.

And the exhibition is professionally designed, it is made profound.

Everyone involved enjoyed it and was convinced of it - this is where the best comes out.

And it's the same with caricatures: They only work to a limited extent and are often language-dependent.

So you understand them, for example, in France or Germany, at the same time only to a limited extent.

One has to understand the background of the cartoon.

But Chagall is a world star.

This appeals to most people interested in art, a broad audience.

I would like to pursue that further. "

The bar is now pretty high.

Are you worried that you will be able to maintain the level?

Michael Beck: “Not at all.

Next year comes the exhibition “Collected with Passion” with works from private collections, the history of which we will also present.

From Renoir to Jawlensky, Beckmann, Nolde, Gauguin - names that every child knows. "

Plans with Renoir, Beckmann, Gauguin, Kirchner

Names as draft horses?

Michael Beck: “Exactly.

But the quality also has to be right.

We have two major works here in the Chagall exhibition.

They could also hang in museums in London or New York.

No visitor goes disappointed.

One big exhibition per year, that is the goal. "

How can you keep this new bar high?

Michael Beck: “I'm an art dealer and gallery owner.

I have a job in which I want to convey content.

I'm not trying to move art from A to B, but rather to design exhibitions.

That fits in here perfectly.

It takes a vision.

That is why I accepted the honorary chairmanship of the Gulbransson Society because I see the opportunity to shape something here.

Loans from friends and customers hang in the special exhibition, and that really goes for me.

The exhibition here cost 100,000 euros.

If you have to hire foreign curators, it becomes incredibly expensive.

The main lenders were delighted at the opening of the Chagall exhibition.

We find open ears. "

Discussion series with top-class podium guests

They also introduced a new series of events, the face-to-face talks.

What do they contribute to success?

Michael Beck: “It is important to me to offer an active program of events in addition to excellent exhibitions.

There is no shortage of ideas and international contacts.

At Chagall we had Ronit Sorek from the Israel Museum in Jerusalem or Tessa Rosebrock from the Kunstmuseum Basel on the podium.

Now on Friday I'm talking to Duchess Anna in Bavaria and Leiko Ikemura, the Japanese star artist, about Chagall.

When such international experts travel to Tegernsee, it is very well received.

People are very happy to take advantage of this cultural offer.

It just makes a lot of work, and we almost all work on a voluntary basis. "

But it sounds like you still have a lot to do at the museum.

Michael Beck: “2023 will be Olaf Gulbransson's 150th birthday.

To do this, we want to work with the Bavarian State Painting Collections in the whole house.

The concept is not yet in place.

In 2024, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Mountain Worlds will come.

The exhibition was already on view in Lugano this year, and I was co-curator there.

I actually wanted to bring the exhibition here right away, but that was too short-term.

That's why it won't come until 2024. We have more ideas than we can implement. "

Duchess Anna and artist Leiko Ikemura talk about Chagall's importance

The next appointment in the face-to-face series of talks at the Gulbransson Museum in Tegernsee is on Friday, October 22nd: From 6 p.m., Duchess Anna in Bavaria and Michael Beck will talk to the Japanese-Swiss painter and sculptor Leiko Ikemura about the significance of Marc Chagall for contemporary life Arts.

Entry costs 15 euros (members of the Gulbransson Society free).

Registration by tomorrow, Thursday, in the museum on 0 80 22/33 38. The 3G rule applies.

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Register here for Tegernsee, here for Miesbach and here for Holzkirchen.

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