Whispers of Heritage, Echoes of Tomorrow: The MKG’s 125th Annual Exhibition at the Münchner Künstlerhaus, Illuminating Munich’s Artistic Pulse through April 27
The Münchner Künstlerhaus’s group exhibition, organized by the Münchner Künstlergenossenschaft (MKG), ran from April 19 to 27, 2025, showcasing over 120 works across painting, graphic drawing, and sculpture. Founded in 1868, the MKG brings together professional artists dedicated to promoting and disseminating the visual arts throughout Bavaria and beyond. Staged within the historic Künstlerhaus building in Munich, this event offered visitors a richly varied panorama of the local and regional contemporary art scene, highlighting themes such as urban identity, the clash between nature and industrialization, and formal experimentation. The visit was documented with photographs of numerous installations and works on display, capturing the depth and diversity of techniques and styles.
An aura of anticipation has settled over the venerable Künstlerhaus in Lenbachplatz, where, since April 19, the Münchner Künstlergenossenschaft’s annual exhibition has been unveiling its treasures to the city. Running through April 27, this showcase invites both Munich’s art aficionados and curious travelers to wander beneath the glass dome, whose natural light suffuses each painting, drawing, and sculpture with a luminous stillness . In honour of the MKG’s 125th anniversary, the exhibition weaves together threads of heritage and innovation, offering a poetic dialogue between time-honoured craft and contemporary experiment.
Bespoke QR codes discreetly accompany each work, opening doorways to films, artist interviews, and glimpses of their creative odysseys—a digital leitmotif that enriches the intimate encounter between observer and creator . Under the discerning eye of curator Dr. Anna Müller, the chosen pieces explore the pulse of urban existence, the tension between industry and wilderness, and the elastic boundaries of form. While each gallery unfolds its own narrative, together they compose a symphony of ideas that resonates throughout the historic halls.
In the painting galleries, Sandra Köhler’s monumental canvases juxtapose the rust and grit of factory silhouettes with the lush vibrancy of woodland vistas, creating a chiaroscuro of nature’s clash and convergence . Julia Wagner’s brushstrokes fracture the city skyline into kinetic shards, evoking the perpetual motion of metropolitan life in rippling layers of oil . The graphic drawings present a contrapuntal counterpoint: Petra Neumann distills Munich’s skyline into elegant ink lines on translucent rice paper, each stroke a testament to minimalism’s evocative power , while Tobias Klein’s hybrid compositions merge traditional India ink with the precision of vector graphics, forging a visual language that is both ancestral and avant-garde.
Stepping into the main hall, sculptures command their own gravity-defying presence. Lukas Schmidt’s “Peso Leve” rises three meters, its lattice of steel beams choreographing a ballet of tension and buoyancy that seems to defy physical laws . In contrast, Anna Fischer’s reclaimed timber installations speak of rebirth and sustainability, organic forms emerging from aged beams as if sprouting anew from the very floorboards.
Critics and visitors alike have responded with ardour. The Süddeutsche Zeitung praised the exhibition’s harmonious balance between Carl Spitzweg’s quaint romanticism and the probing vigour of today’s innovators, dubbing the show “a triumphant union of past and future” . The Münchner Merkur lauded the technical virtuosity of the sculptural works, suggesting that the inclusion of live performances in future editions could amplify the dynamic interplay between art and audience.
With over 3,000 admissions recorded in its first week, the exhibition underscores the MKG’s enduring role as a beacon of Munich’s cultural life. Admission is priced at €8, with concessions at €5 for students and visitors with disabilities; tickets are available at the on-site box office only . Open daily from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. (closing at 4 p.m. on the final day), the Künstlerhaus offers ample time for contemplation and discovery until Sunday, April 27.
Looking ahead, the MKG has announced a 2026 biennial in partnership with leading European institutions, promising artist residencies, cross-border exchanges, and a pioneering online catalogue that will bring its members’ creations to a global stage . In the meantime, these last days of the 2025 exhibition beckon all who seek to experience the rich interplay of tradition and transformation at the heart of Munich’s artistic spirit.
Carlos Alves de Sousa
United Photo Press
