Death and the devil
The fascination of horror
14.07.2022 - 20.10.2024 ,
Museum Georg Schäfer (Museum Georg Schäfer)
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The exhibition Death and the Devil explores a phenomenon: the seemingly inexplicable fascination of horror. Already discussed by art theory in the 18th century, it was above all the artistic media of the 20th century that turned to this unusual reception by viewers. This in turn gave rise to art and cultural movements that continue to this day, such as "Gothic Art and Style".
For the first time, a show is shedding light on the legacy and continuation of various artistic strategies of horror in fashion, music, film and contemporary art. The spectrum of the 120 works on display ranges from classical painting and sculpture from the Black Romantic period to elaborate contemporary installations.
The presentation begins with a historical prologue that illustrates how the history of art and culture has long been characterised by death and horror. As part of a "cannibalistic" genre that constantly revisits its own symbols, characters and themes, the historical examples serve to illustrate the starting points for contemporary interpretations of horror.
With their often horrifying approaches, these works formulate a canonised breaking of rules that often transcends the boundaries of previous pictorial worlds.
Last edited on 20.03.2025
