Bührle Foundation distances from Zurich after Nazi art scrutiny

Controversial Bührle Foundation criticises its Zurich location Keystone-SDA

The Bührle Foundation has removed references to its Zurich location following unprecedented media and political controversy surrounding stolen Nazi art.

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The week before last, the purpose of the Bührle Foundation suddenly changed: the addition “in the city of Zurich” was cancelled from one day to the next in the commercial register. This means that the controversial art collection no longer has to be exhibited in Zurich in future.

In the amendment application to the foundation supervisory authority, which is now publicly accessible, the foundation gives more than just one reason for the deletion of the “Zurich” addition: on several pages, it expresses unequivocal criticism of its location.

Since the Bührle Collection was exhibited in the new Chipperfield building, there has been “an unprecedented media and political controversy”. The foundation has had to put up with “massive accusations”, ranging from ethical and moral misconduct to anti-Semitism.

“Official interference”

The foundation and the Kunstgesellschaft were also pressurised to make the permanent loan agreement publicly accessible and ultimately to negotiate a new one. In doing so, the Zurich city administration made demands in terms of content.

For the foundation, this “official interference” in a private, cultural institution in the previously liberal Swiss museum environment is “unprecedented”.

The negative impact of the controversy on the foundation and the Kunsthaus is “enormous”. Whether a further presentation is still possible and justifiable under these circumstances “is currently uncertain”. If necessary, the foundation will have to examine new options.

One option would be to cancel the permanent loan agreement, which runs until 2034. If this were to happen, the works would be returned to the foundation and would probably no longer be exhibited in Zurich.

The city of Zurich did not comment on the allegations. A spokesperson points out that the Kunsthaus and the Bührle Foundation want to discuss further collaboration in 2030. “We are still examining whether the change in the foundation’s purpose affects our interests,” he writes. The city of Zurich will then decide whether steps are appropriate. An appeal to the administrative court would be possible, for example.

The collection is currently closed until 2027 due to remodelling. The origin of individual works is once again being investigated in depth, as they could be fugitives from the Nazi era. Five paintings were therefore taken down in the summer of 2024.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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