Miriam Cahn plans to pull works from Zurich Art Museum over Bührle Collection
Internationally renowned Swiss artist Miriam Cahn says she wants to remove all her works on display at the Zurich Art Museum in response to the outcry over the Bührle collection. Paintings in the collection are suspected of being linked to art looted by the Nazis.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Español
es
Cahn planea retirar su obra del Museo de Zúrich por la Colección Bührle
“I no longer want to be represented in ‘this’ art museum in Zurich,” Cahn said in a letter to the Jewish weekly TachlesExternal link, published on Wednesday and obtained by media agency Keystone-SDA. “I wish to remove all my works from the Zurich Art Museum. I will buy them back at the original sale price,” said the 72-year-old artist, who is Jewish.
She called out the museum for its “historical blindness” and criticised the “opaque mixing” between the museum, the city and various other parties that she argues led to the “stupid loan contract” of the Bührle Collection.
More
The fight for gender equality in Swiss art institutions
Art museums are still mostly occupied by works made by men. Awareness has only recently been raised in Switzerland, stirring the cultural scene.
The inclusion of around 200 works from the Bührle Collection into the new extension of the museum, which opened this autumn, has sparked controversy over its origins. Wealthy industrialist Emil Georg Bührle, who died in 1956, earned much of his wealth through the sale of arms to Germany during and after the Second World War. His fortune allowed him to build up an art collection which he bequeathed to the foundation.
The Bührle Foundation says none of the works on display were looted from Jews but the museum’s decision to display works from the foundation is still seen as an affront to victims of the Holocaust. Following calls from local public officials, the museum has said it will set up an independent commission to investigate the provenance of the works.
Born in Basel, Cahn’s paintings can be found in numerous museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Museum in London.
More
More
Bührle Foundation director to step down
This content was published on
Lukas Gloor, the director of the Bührle Foundation – from which the controversial Bührle art collection comes – will step down at the end of the year.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Nazi-looted art: Is the Kunsthaus Zurich a ‘tainted museum’?
This content was published on
The new extension of Zurich’s fine art museum opens this weekend with the Bührle collection. A controversial choice for some.
This content was published on
Housing the art collection of arms dealer Emil Bührle in the Zurich Kunsthaus will do little to quell decades-old controversies.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.