A groundbreaking new exhibition at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie is exploring the fascinating journey of Surrealist art from Europe to New York through the renowned collection of Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch. The show, titled "Max Ernst to Dorothea Tanning," offers visitors an unprecedented look at how networks of artists, collectors, and dealers helped transplant the Surrealist movement across the Atlantic during the 20th century.
While Joan Miró's programmatic Surrealist painting "The Arrow Pierces the Smoke" is prominently featured on the exhibition's cover and promotional materials, the show's true innovation lies in its dual focus, as reflected in its two subtitles: "Networks of Surrealism" and "Provenances of the Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch Collection." These themes work together to reveal the complex web of relationships and transactions that shaped one of the most important private collections of Surrealist art.
The exhibition takes a unique approach by meticulously tracing the provenance of each artwork in the Pietzsch collection, revealing how individual pieces moved from European studios to American galleries and private collections. This methodology not only illuminates the migration patterns of Surrealist art but also exposes the broader cultural networks that facilitated the movement's establishment in New York during and after World War II.
By focusing on the span from Max Ernst to Dorothea Tanning, the exhibition captures both the European origins of Surrealism and its American evolution. Ernst, one of the founding figures of the movement in Europe, and Tanning, an American artist who became deeply embedded in Surrealist circles, represent the geographical and temporal breadth of the movement's influence and transformation.
The show demonstrates how the Pietzsch collection serves as a microcosm of larger historical patterns, illustrating the ways in which art movements transcend national boundaries through the efforts of dedicated collectors, dealers, and institutions. Through detailed provenance research, visitors can follow the intricate pathways that brought these masterworks together, offering new insights into both the artworks themselves and the cultural networks that preserved and promoted Surrealist art in America.
