ZURICH.- Monet, Hodler, Picasso, Taeuber-Arp and Tinguely: ‘Evergreens. Selected Works from the Collection’, which runs from 11 September 2026 to 10 January 2027, offers a fresh new take on some of the most important artists at the Kunsthaus Z黵ich. Masterpieces leave behind their familiar contexts within the Collection and appear in new juxtapositions that open up surprising new perspectives. In wall texts, people from Zurich – including some well-known faces – explain why they chose a particular work as their favourite, and why it moves, remains with or inspires them.
Claude Monet’s water lilies, Andy Warhol’s ‘Big Torn Campbell’s Soup Can (Vegetable Beef)’, Franz Gertsch’s ‘Franz and Luciano’, Arnold B鯿klin’s ‘Saint Anthony Preaching to the Fish’ and Francis Bacon’s monumental triptych are just some of the highlights from the Kunsthaus Z黵ich that are gathered together for ‘Evergreens. Selected Works from the Collection’. Paintings, sculptures and works on paper engage in dialogues through time and across multiple eras.
THE COLLECTION: THE CENTREPIECE OF THE KUNSTHAUS
The opening of the Chipperfield building in 2021 created ample space to display many items from the Kunsthaus Collection permanently for the first time. Meanwhile, major private collections – Looser, Merzbacher and B黨rle – drew widespread public attention. ‘Evergreens. Selected Works from the Collection’ focuses on the core collections of the Z黵cher Kunstgesellschaft and the Kunstfreunde Z黵ich, which have been progressively assembled over more than a century.
Ever since the Z黵cher Kunstgesellschaft was founded in 1787, collecting contemporary art has been a central part of its purpose. Initially focused on the work of artists from Zurich, it has evolved over the decades into a collection of international importance. This was made possible through exhibitions, targeted purchases, gifts and the exceptional dedication of numerous collectors and patrons.
Following the new presentation of Alberto Giacometti in the Chipperfield building, the interventions in the ‘ReCollect!’ series and the presentation of Wolfgang Laib, works from different eras are now being brought together for the first time in the exhibition rooms of the Chipperfield building.
POPULAR WORKS IN DIALOGUE
Covering some 800 m in the Chipperfield building, the exhibition unites works by artists including Albert Anker, Heidi Bucher, Marc Chagall, Franz Gertsch, Ferdinand Hodler, Oskar Kokoschka, Claude Monet, Marlow Moss, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Cindy Sherman, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Jean Tinguely and Andy Warhol.
The spotlight is on works that are particularly associated with the Kunsthaus Z黵ich. Well-known exhibits are removed from their usual context and placed alongside new neighbours. Landscapes by Claude Monet meet works by Ferdinand Hodler, Paul Gauguin and Pierre Bonnard, sparking a dialogue about the representation of nature and atmosphere. Jean Tinguely’s monumental machine sculpture connects with a painting by H. R. Giger, while Pablo Picasso’s ‘Grand Nu’ joins Heidi Bucher’s ‘Das Kanapee’ to invite new readings.
The exhibition shows how art develops new meanings through new proximities, transforming and expanding our perspective on works we already recognize. It is complemented by personal perspectives: people from Zurich – including some celebrities – have each chosen a work they are particularly fond of, and explain why it moves them. Their texts approach the evergreens of the Collection from new angles, highlighting the manifold ways in which art can be experienced.
A COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL SCOPE
Created between 1622 and 1998, the works on show are among the most significant holdings of the Kunsthaus Z黵ich and are regularly loaned out to leading museums worldwide. At the same time, they form the core of the Collection on Heimplatz and offer visitors in Zurich an opportunity to discover familiar masterpieces afresh.
During the exhibition’s run, another important part of the Collection will be making an international journey: from 27 November 2026 to 18 April 2027, the National Museum of Korea in Seoul will be showing an exhibition featuring some 85 works from the Collection of the Kunsthaus Z黵ich.
