Dorothea Schöne

The metal sculptures and drawings of Hans Uhlmann (1900 –1975) shaped the image of German postwar modernism. Arrested by the National Socialists in 1933, Uhlmann sketched filigree wire heads during his incarceration. He went on to realise these pieces following his release. In the 1950s, his figurative forms developed further into abstract compositions. With around 80 works, the exhibition at the Berlinische Galerie traces Uhlmann’s creative periods from the 1930s to the 1970s and explores not only his drawings and sculptures but also his role within the West Berlin art scene. This is the first comprehensive retrospective of his work in more than 50 years. Text in English and German.

From sculpture to woodcuts, glass design to poetry, the work of German artist Egon Altdorf crossed boundaries. ‘Making culture behind the barbed wire’ was how Altdorf endured wartime captivity, inspiring a life dedicated to art that was innovative, spiritual and redemptive. Exhibiting in London alongside sculptors Barbara Hepworth, Lynn Chadwick and Reg Butler at the Unknown Political Prisoner exhibition (1953), he adopted an increasingly abstract approach, rooted in Biblical symbolism yet embracing different faiths, notably in designs for the outstanding interior of Wiesbaden’s new synagogue. Exploring Altdorf’s work in ten interdisciplinary chapters, this book illuminates the still-overlooked contribution of artists who reshaped postwar existence: the lost generation.

Revisiting an influential Cold War-era art competitionIn 1952 the ICA London organized an international competition around the theme of "The Unknown Political Prisoner," to promote abstract art and sculpture as a symbol of democracy. This book revisits the occasion.

Die Förderung junger Berliner Künstler nach 945 durch die amerikanische Besatzungsmacht sind Gegenstand dieses Buches. Erstmalig werden hier umfassend die Aktivitäten der Prolog-Gruppe beschrieben, die 94 gegründet wurde und deren Mitglieder prominente deutsche Kunsthistoriker, Kunstkritiker, Museumsmitarbeiter und Künstler sowie Mitarbeiter der amerikanischen Militärverwaltung waren. Zu ihren Aktivitäten gehörte die Organisation von Lesungen, Ausstellungen und die Herausgabe von hochwertigen Publikationen. Primäres Interesse war es, die junge Kunst aus Berlin international bekannt zu machen. Das Buch beschreibt neben den Aktivitäten auch die Kritik an Ausrichtung und Umsetzung dieser Vorhaben und erläutert schließlich auch die Gründe für eine Umorientierung auf die Klassische Moderne anstelle der zeitgenössischen Nachkriegskunst.