REMAGEN.- Water, an elemental substance that gives life and shapes landscapes, takes center stage in a new exhibition at the Arp Museum titled Im Fluss (“In Flow”). Featuring around 50 masterpieces ranging from the early 17th century to modern works, this thoughtful show guides visitors through the art history of water—highlighting its beauty, serenity, and unrelenting force.

Curated by Dr. Susanne Blöcker, the exhibition presents a wealth of paintings, sculptures, and photographs that illuminate shifting attitudes toward water over the centuries. From the dramatic baroque portrayal of the Great Flood by Johann König to the tranquil 18th-century vision The Cascades of Tivoli by Johann-Martin von Rhoden, visitors witness how artists have depicted water both as an overpowering, primordial force and as a scene of peaceful respite. Especially noteworthy are 19th-century French masters like Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, and Paul Signac, whose interpretations of water’s reflective surfaces and shimmering horizons revolutionized the Impressionist movement. Meanwhile, Raoul Dufy’s The Beach at Saint-Adresse turns the viewer’s focus away from the vast sea, capturing instead the bustling life of a fashionable seaside resort.

Contemporary perspectives broaden the scope of Im Fluss, with present-day photographic works by Elger Esser and a painting by Bart Koning added to the Arp Museum’s permanent collection. Esser, inspired by early photography and the Impressionists, melds historical techniques with modern sensibilities, reflecting how water remains a timeless muse for artists. The museum’s setting—right on the banks of the Rhine and near the flood-prone Ahr Valley—further reinforces water’s ongoing relevance, particularly amid global climate change.

One highlight is a previously undisplayed painting by Claude Monet, Flooding, which depicts the Seine’s overflow after the ice break of 1880/81. According to experts, these events were an early precursor to the transformations we now associate with climate change. Another poignant piece is a small baroque angel sculpture rescued from the murky waters of a devastating flood in the Ahr region. Having survived immersion and mud, its presence testifies to both water’s destructive capacity and the hope of recovery.

The show is staged in collaboration with the Rau Collection for UNICEF, on long-term loan to the Arp Museum since 2009. Jens Schwanewedel, Managing Director at UNICEF Germany, notes, “When you look at the Rau Collection as a whole, you notice water is everywhere. It must have greatly fascinated Gustav Rau. This exhibition alone presents around 35 water-themed paintings spanning from the Baroque era to the Fauves. They rank among the most impressive works art has to offer.”

During the exhibition’s opening, State Secretary Prof. Dr. Jürgen Hardeck reflected on the memories of the Ahr floods, saying, “Three years have passed, but the destructive power of that flood remains in our minds. A small Baroque angel in this exhibition bears witness to what was submerged in the water. Yet it resurfaced. Everything flows. Nothing disappears. That should give us hope.”

Dr. Julia Wallner, Director of the Arp Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck, highlighted water’s broader symbolism, asserting, “Water is a strong symbol for the flow of time. Confronting it across art history reveals this primordial element as a powerful counterpart. It becomes a metaphor for our present as well, in which the vulnerability of our planet feels more urgent than ever.