BERLIN.- The Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin has significantly expanded its collection with the acquisition of pivotal works by three prominent female artists—Maria Lassnig, Ewa Partum, and Cornelia Schleime—made possible through a generous private donation from Birgit and Thomas Rabe. The couple’s commitment includes an annual contribution of €1 million for three years, aimed primarily at acquiring works by women artists to enrich the museum’s 20th-century art collection. These newly acquired pieces are currently on display at the Neue Nationalgalerie.

The museum, part of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, has long faced constraints due to a limited acquisition budget. The Rabes’ support provides much-needed financial stability, allowing the institution to strategically address gaps in its holdings. This year, the donation facilitated the purchase of ten artworks through the FREUNDE der Nationalgalerie, with additional support from organizations like the Ernst von Siemens-Stiftung in Munich.

Among the acquisitions is Maria Lassnig’s 1963 painting Patriotic Family, a striking example of her “body awareness” painting style, which draws from subjective physical sensations and features bold, unconventional color palettes. The work also subtly critiques Pablo Picasso’s portrayal of women. Additionally, the Maria Lassnig Foundation has loaned the museum Self-Portrait as Indian Girl (1973), a piece previously exhibited in Berlin during Lassnig’s 1978 DAAD residency. Lassnig, an Austrian artist who passed away in 2014, is celebrated internationally for her powerful figurative works.

The collection also gained Ewa Partum’s six-part photographic series Self-Identification (1981), alongside her video work Change (1974), gifted by the artist herself. A pioneer of feminist art in Poland, Partum’s Self-Identification features her nude body in public spaces in Warsaw, such as in front of government buildings or in everyday settings. In the context of socialist Poland, her nudity was a bold act of defiance against authoritarianism, conservative Catholicism, and societal norms, weaving feminist themes with broader political commentary.

Cornelia Schleime’s contributions include five photographs from her 1982 series Self-Staging: Bondage and I’m Not Holding My Breath: Self-Staging in Hüpstedt, as well as her 1983 Super 8 film Under White Cloths. Created during her time in the oppressive environment of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), where she faced an exhibition ban, Schleime’s works depict her bound and gagged, symbolizing the restrictions she endured. Yet, her art radiates resilience, as encapsulated in her defiant statement, “I’m not holding my breath!”

These acquisitions are featured in the ongoing exhibition Zerreißprobe: Art Between Politics and Society, Collection of the Nationalgalerie 1945–2000, curated by Joachim Jäger, Maike Steinkamp, and Marta Smolińska, a professor of art history at the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of the Arts in Poznań. Until now, many of these works were only available as loans, but their permanent inclusion marks a step toward a more diverse and inclusive collection.

Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Neue Nationalgalerie, expressed gratitude for the Rabes’ support, noting, “Their generous, multi-year donation allows us to strengthen our collection with essential works, despite our limited acquisition budget. We hope their example inspires others to follow.” Joachim Jäger, deputy director, emphasized the critical role of private funding, stating, “With no state funds for acquisitions, such contributions are vital.” Curator Maike Steinkamp highlighted the museum’s commitment to female artists, saying, “These purchases help close painful gaps in our collection and give women artists the visibility they deserve.”

Birgit and Thomas Rabe, avid art collectors, shared their enthusiasm: “We’re thrilled to support the Neue Nationalgalerie in expanding its remarkable collection. Having collected art privately for years, it’s exciting to now contribute to the public’s access to these works.”

The Neue Nationalgalerie’s collection, like many public art institutions in Germany, has historically been male-dominated. Looking ahead, the museum plans to acquire more works in video, performance, and photography in 2026, including pieces by artists like Marina Abramović, Agnes Denes, Yoko Ono, and Nancy Holt, some of which are already featured in Zerreißprobe. In 2027, the museum aims to purchase a work from the Classical Modern period.