The Simon Spierer Collection

In 2004 the Geneva art collector Simon Spierer donated his internationally unique collection of 40 sculptures to the Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt. With this generous donation, the HLMD has become one of the world’s major centres for sculpture of the 20th century.

Spierer brought together works dating from the beginning of modernism to the early 21st century. His “Forest of Sculpture” encompasses pieces by extraordinary international 20th-century artists, for example Max Ernst, Henry Moore, Lucio Fontana, Louise Bourgeois, Barbara Hepworth, Germaine Richter, Max Bill, Isamu Noguchi, Daniel Spoerri und Tony Cragg. They include such iconic art historical works as Constantin Brancusi’s “Bird in Space” (1927), Julio González’s “Daphné” (1937), Hans (Jean) Arp’s “Idol” (1950) and Alberto Giacometti’s “Small Bust on a Column” (1952).

The installation of the sculptures in accordance with the collector’s wishes conveys the impression of a natural environment and is intended to appear like a forest. In terms of form and motif, the collection focuses on the stele and the torso. This concentration lends it its unique and art historical valuable position.

In its self-contained form and arrangement as determined by the donor, the collection ideally supplements the museum’s holdings encompassing such modern masters as Auguste Rodin, Aristide Maillol, Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Alexander Archipenko, Jacques Lipchitz, Hans Arp, Henri Laurens and Marcel Duchamp. It further features works by major 20th-century sculptors, especially Joseph Beuys; his internationally largest complex of works, the “Block Beuys”, is on show in seven galleries at the HLMD.

The permanent installation of the Simon Spierer Collection is located on the second floor of the museum in three galleries opposite the “Block Beuys”. As such, the presentation not only brings important individual works together in a dialogue but also enables a wide-ranging discourse on the meaning and concept of sculpture in the 20th century in a manner that hardly any other museum can offer.

Contact

Dr. Gabriele Mackert
T +49 6151 3601-212


Der vollständige Film ist im Ausstellungsraum zu sehen.

Film zur Skulptur »Manipulations«

Orientierungsplan »Ein Wald der Skulpturen«

Orientierungsplan herunterladen


Katalog zur Sammlung

Der Katalog aus dem Verlag
Hatje Cantz ist für 15 Euro
im Museumsshop erhältlich.

Collection Simon Spierer

Collection Simon Spierer

Constantin Brancusi, L'oiseau dans l'espace, 1927. © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

Germaine Richier (Grans 1902 - 1959 Montpellier), La Forêt, 1946 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

Jean Arp, Idole, 1950 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

César, Nu de la Belle-de-Mai, 1957 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

Julio González (Barcelona 1876 - 1942 Paris), Daphné, 1937 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

Max Ernst (Brühl 1891 - 1976 Paris), La femme demi-tête, 1938 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2019

Collection Simon Spierer

Alberto Giacometti (Borgonovo 1901 - 1966 Zürich), Petit buste sur colonne (Detail), 1952 © Alberto Giacometti Estate (Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti, Paris + ADAGP, Paris) 2019

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