Thomas Kellein, a highly respected curator and art historian who gained international recognition for his distinguished leadership of prestigious museums across Europe and the United States, died in Berlin on Monday at the age of 70. Bergos, the Swiss banking institution where Kellein served as head of art consultancy, announced that he passed away following a serious illness.
Kellein built an impressive reputation in Europe through his directorial roles at two major institutions. He led the Kunsthalle Basel from 1988 to 1995, where he curated groundbreaking exhibitions featuring renowned contemporary artists including Cindy Sherman, Mike Kelley, and Rachel Whiteread. His work there helped maintain the institution's status as a small but influential powerhouse within Europe's dynamic art scene.
Following his success in Basel, Kellein took on the directorship of the Kunsthalle Bielefeld in Germany from 1996 to 2010. During his 14-year tenure, he organized diverse exhibitions showcasing both classical and contemporary artists, including shows dedicated to the works of Caspar David Friedrich, Vanessa Beecroft, and Jeff Koons, among many others. His curatorial vision demonstrated a remarkable ability to bridge different artistic movements and time periods.
In 2010, Kellein made a significant career move to the United States, accepting the position of director at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. This prestigious art space was founded by the legendary Minimalist artist Donald Judd. However, Kellein's time there was brief and somewhat mysterious – he resigned from his position after just 15 months in 2012, though he never publicly disclosed his reasons for leaving.
Born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1955, Kellein was not only an accomplished museum director but also a dedicated art historian and writer. His scholarly work included extensive research on various artists, though he sometimes faced challenges in his pursuits. In one notable instance, he attempted to interview the enigmatic artist Walter De Maria with limited success. Kellein later wrote about this experience in a journal published by the Tate museum network, describing how De Maria explained over a 40-minute phone call that he unfortunately could not accommodate the interview request.
Determined to connect with De Maria, Kellein traveled to New York and continued his efforts to arrange a meeting. His persistence eventually paid off when he unexpectedly encountered the artist at the offices of the Dia Art Foundation in SoHo, which was essentially De Maria's institutional home since it funded all of his work at the time. Kellein described the artist as "extremely friendly, polite, even chatty, but very shy," noting that his handshake was warm despite his reserved nature.
Kellein found greater success in his scholarly pursuits with other artists, particularly Minimalist sculptor John McCracken, whom he successfully interviewed and extensively analyzed in his writings. He also developed expertise in the Fluxus movement, writing about artists including George Maciunas, whose work he featured in a comprehensive survey exhibition at the Kunsthalle Bielefeld in 2007.
In 2012, following his departure from the Chinati Foundation, Kellein began leading the Written Art Collection, a specialized private collection based in Germany. This collection focuses specifically on modern and contemporary artworks that prominently incorporate text as a central element. Under Kellein's guidance, the collection developed a strategy of creating impressive presentations during the Venice Biennale, featuring works by internationally recognized artists such as Lawrence Weiner, Jenny Holzer, Shirin Neshat, and Qiu Zhijie.
Kellein's work with the Written Art Collection also involved commissioning new pieces from artists. One notable example was his collaboration with Siah Armajani, who created a work that explored the fascinating connections between Farsi calligraphy and architectural forms. The collection's holdings have gained significant recognition and have been featured at major institutions, including the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, which is scheduled to present an exhibition of the collection's works in December.
Bergos honored Kellein's legacy in an official statement, emphasizing his unique approach to art curation and education. "Thomas Kellein stood for an art that does not stop at a museum's doors but opens itself to public space and discourse," the statement read. "His exhibitions were invitations to look and to think – playful exercises of thought filled with seriousness." This tribute captures the essence of Kellein's philosophy, which consistently sought to make art accessible and meaningful to broader audiences while maintaining intellectual rigor and artistic integrity.
