EROS in der Kunst der Moderne

Oct 8, 2006–Feb 18, 2007

An involvement with all forms and facets of eros – love, passion and lust, desire and sexual union – was and still is one of the most crucial impulses behind the creation of art. The Fondation Beyeler is devoting a comprehensive two-part exhibition to eros, a theme that has held a prominent place in the history of art. We concentrate especially on works by artists who relied on eros as the essential motive force behind their creative activity. After the first exhibition focused on the two pioneers of modernism Auguste Rodin and Pablo Picasso, the second, “Eros in Modern Art,” will be a larger overview comprising over 200 works. Various approaches to and developments in erotic art from the early modern period, through the twentieth century, and down to our own day will be presented.

The eroticism in these works ranges from the straightforward and drastic to evocations whose meaning becomes clear only upon a deeper involvement with the artist’s oeuvre. Deserving of special attention in this regard are the expansive, post-Surrealist installations of Rebecca Horn. Nearly every medium employed in modern and contemporary art is represented in the show: painting and sculpture, video and film, as well as graphic art, drawing and photography.

The exhibition has been organized in collaboration with the BA-CA Kunstforum, Vienna, where it will be on view from 1 March to 22 July 2007.

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Catalogue «EROS in Modern Art»

Eros was the Greek god of Love. But Eros is also what fuels our desire for knowledge and our creativity. Passion and lust likewise come under the heading of Eros. And in Freudian psychoanalysis, Eros is the libido, one of our two vital instincts. The representation and exploration of Eros is a classic and recurring motif in art. The catalogue documents the 2007 exhibition devoted specifically to «Eros in modern art«.

«Eros in der Kunst der Moderne« contains an essay by Konrad Liessmann on the relationship between art and eroticism, plus a glossary of related terms.

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