Fondation Beyeler has unveiled an impressive exhibition of modern and contemporary art to this very day.
Upon entering, visitors encounter Philippe Parreno's "Membrane," a new large-scale installation that appears poised to become an emblematic piece for prestigious museums.
This season, Beyeler has curated exhibition rooms featuring renowned modern and contemporary artists' works. A couple of these collection rooms host group exhibitions by luminaries such as Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Marlene Dumas, among others, into one large, crowded display. The artworks are not only positioned adjacent to one another, but the staff's continuous rearrangement also raises the question, is this part of a performance, or is there an underlying message they are seeking to convey to the audience?
Similarly, in another collection room, sculptures and paintings by Alberto Giacometti, Max Ernst, Louise Bourgeois, Thomas Schütte, and others are tightly clustered together, suggesting new artistic forms. While the artworks varied in size and required ample space for viewing, the experience was uncomfortable.
Visiting Fondation Beyeler has always been my pleasure, but the layout of some of the exhibition's collection rooms was disappointing this time.
