Illustrations on Franz Kafka

To mark the Kafka anniversary year, the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie (Art Forum East German Gallery) is showing an exhibition of illustrations of Franz Kafka's texts. Scenes from Kafka's world-famous works such as "The Trial", "The Metamorphosis" and "In the Penal Colony" are presented here in various artistic interpretations. Selected loans as well as drawings and prints from the KOG's Graphic Art Collection make this comprehensive presentation possible.
In the year of the 100th anniversary of Kafka's death, the exhibition "Illustrations on Kafka" takes an artistic approach to his texts. The Graphic Collection of the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie (Art Forum East German Gallery) offers a rich selection of examples. The largest collection of around 50 sheets is by Hans Fronius (Sarajevo 1903 - 1988 Mödling, Austria). For five decades from the 1930s onwards, Fronius illustrated all of Kafka's major texts. Wolfgang Bier's examination of the story "In the Penal Colony" is fascinating. In a series of six drypoint etchings, Bier deliberately used this technique to convey meaning. In a work recently donated to the KOG from a private collection, it is once again the material used as a support - an animal skin - that makes an obvious reference to Kafka's text. The illustrations by Svato Zapletal (*1946 Prague) and Peter Grau (Breslau 1928-2016 Leinfelden-Echterdingen) also provide impressive interpretations of the literary source material.

Last edited on 08.08.2024