M.C. Escher

The images of M.C. Escher (1898–1972) are among those that have deeply imprinted themselves on the collective memory. With his impossible architectures and precisely constructed paradoxes, he achieved international recognition as early as the 1950s and reached an audience far beyond the boundaries of art. Even during his lifetime, his work was highly valued in scientific, mathematical and everyday cultural contexts, while its art-historical classification remained ambivalent after his death. It is precisely the qualities that make his works so fascinating and accessible to a broad public that were not equally acknowledged in art-historical discourse. To this day, Escher therefore occupies a special position: famous, widely received, and yet not granted the same recognition as other successful artists of his time.

The exhibition “M.C. Escher and the Fascination of Seeing” presents his work for the first time together with other artistic positions and makes clear that the artist is an important voice in the canon of 20th-century art. Based on more than 40 Escher works, the show is organized into thematic chapters. On view are works by Bridget Riley, Gerhard Richter, Jeppe Hein and Tim Noble & Sue Webster. Their paintings, sculptures and graphic works illuminate facets of seeing that are already present in Escher's oeuvre. In doing so, it becomes clear how perception can be guided and unsettled. The exhibition is complemented by site-specific installations, such as a room designed by Christoph Niemann especially for the presentation, and a floor installation by the artist Marina Apollonio. The exhibition is supported by three of the most important Escher collections in Europe: the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, the Kunstmuseum Arnhem and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. In addition, numerous further national and international loans are on view.

Curator: Sophie Bubmann