Collection
Art collection of the Federal Republic of Germany
Art collection of the Federal Republic of Germany is a collection.
About Art collection of the Federal Republic of Germany
Overview
The Art Collection of the Federal Republic of Germany, officially known as the Sammlung zeitgenössischer Kunst der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Collection of Contemporary Art), is a state-held collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Established to document the artistic development of the Federal Republic, the collection serves as a cultural instrument of the German government. Unlike traditional museums, it does not possess a permanent, dedicated exhibition building. Instead, its holdings are dispersed across the country, functioning as a dynamic resource for public institutions, government offices, and museums.
History & Founding
The collection was initiated in 1970 (officially founded in 1971) by then-Chancellor Willy Brandt, acting on a proposal by Georg Meistermann, the chairman of the German Federation of Artists (Deutscher Künstlerbund). The founding principle was rooted in the belief that creative arts play a vital role in a democratic society. Initially, the collection was placed under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. In subsequent decades, administrative responsibility was transferred to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), which continues to oversee the collection today.
Administration & Acquisition Strategy
Acquisitions are determined by an independent commission of experts whose members serve five-year terms and are appointed by the BKM. The commission convenes annually at major international art fairs, specifically Art Basel, Art Cologne, and Berlin, to select new works. The collection's annual budget has historically been modest, typically not exceeding €500,000, though it was temporarily increased to €3 million in 2020 to support the art market during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission purchases a diverse range of media, including paintings, graphics, photography, and installations.
Collection Highlights & Notable Holdings
As of 2020, the collection comprises approximately 1,700 works documenting contemporary art in Germany. Prominent artists represented include Isa Genzken, Thomas Struth, Olafur Eliasson, Jonathan Monk, Georg Baselitz, Markus Lüpertz, A. R. Penck, Markus Oehlen, Gerhard Richter, and Wolfgang Tillmans. Due to budget constraints, commercially successful artists like Georg Baselitz, Markus Lüpertz, and A. R. Penck are represented primarily by works on paper, while Anselm Kiefer is not represented in the collection at all. The collection also includes works by Johanna Diehl and Martin Kippenberger.
Significance & Display
The collection's significance lies in its role as a documentation of the artistic evolution of the Federal Republic and its function as a lender to public institutions. It does not have a fixed exhibition space; instead, works are loaned to the Federal Chancellery, various federal ministries, German embassies worldwide, and numerous museums throughout Germany. This strategy ensures that the art is integrated into the daily life of the state and accessible to the public through temporary exhibitions and institutional displays, rather than being confined to a single location.
Where to See the Collection
Because the collection lacks a permanent home, visitors cannot view the entire holdings in one location. However, individual works are frequently displayed in the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, various federal ministries, and German diplomatic missions abroad. The collection is also regularly presented in special exhibitions at major venues such as the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Bundeskunsthalle) in Bonn. Public access is primarily achieved through these temporary exhibitions and the loaned works situated in government buildings and museums across the country.