As an artist, she no longer wants to be represented at the Zurich Kunsthaus, wrote Miriam Cahn in a letter to the Jewish weekly magazine «Tachles», which CH Media has. She wants to buy back all of the work at the purchase price.
With this she is reacting to a press conference of the Kunsthaus on the collection of the arms manufacturer Emil Bührle, which took place last week. Cahn writes of “trivialization” and “lack of transparency”. In addition, there is an “opaque mixture” between the city, the art gallery, the foundation and other actors who would have led to the loan agreement.
Cahn has not yet communicated her intentions to the Kunsthaus itself, as communications manager Björn Quellenberg wrote on request. “Should Ms. Cahn submit her request to the Kunsthaus, we will seek a personal conversation with her.” As long as the Kunsthaus is not contacted, it is not yet possible to comment seriously on the project.
Kunsthaus and Foundation defend research
The Kunsthaus currently owns 31 works by Miriam Cahn. A further 13 works are on permanent loan at the Kunsthaus. The Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft has acquired works by the artist since the 1980s. This “because we appreciate not only her artistic talent, but also her critical political stance,” as Quellenberg continues.
Last Wednesday, the Kunsthaus and the Foundation took a position and defended provenance research on the Bührle Collection. None of the around 203 works fall under the categories of looted or refugee property. In 113 works, the origin was “completely clarified and unproblematic”, in 90 it was “not completely clarified” but still “unproblematic”. The board of directors of the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft will, however, put together an independent, internationally composed expert committee and commission it to review the methodology and the approach of the Bührle Foundation for provenance research.
Collection has long been controversial
Before that, various bodies, including representatives of the former Bergier Commission, but also from the political side such as the city of Zurich, which had always backed the Kunsthaus and the Bührle Foundation, had called for independent investigations and a more “appealing” mediation got loud inside the museum.
The Swiss arms manufacturer’s art collection has been on display in the new CHF 200 million extension of the Zurich art house since October. The collection is also controversial because of the suspicion of looted art. A study published a year ago by the University of Zurich showed how the entrepreneur bought his art collection and thus access to the highest circles in Zurich by exporting weapons to Nazi Germany. (chm)
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