„Farbenmensch Kirchner“, Pinakothek der Moderne

Understanding Kirchner's colour palette. Making work processes visible.

The exhibition ‘Farbenmensch Kirchner’ (Kirchner, Man of Colour) is dedicated to Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's intensive exploration of colour, material and visual impact. The design focused on the particular challenge of presenting paintings whose canvases are painted on both sides.

The exhibition design responds to this with purist, cubic display stands and showcases in light grey and white tones, which allow the works to be viewed from both sides. The minimalist architecture creates a sense of calm and consistently directs the focus onto the works. Graphic colouring sets specific accents and takes up the theme of colour as a design leitmotif.

Artworks are staged vertically, while scientific images such as X-rays or UV photographs are arranged horizontally. This creates clearly legible levels between art and analysis. Purist direct lettering without backing material blends discreetly into the space. The title font of the key visual, inspired by early 20th-century advertising graphics, anchors Kirchner's work typographically in its time. The scenography makes Kirchner's working processes, overpaintings and image decisions visible and opens up new perspectives on his work.