- You can only make paradises yourself  -

The name Friedensreich Hundertwasser conjures up images of bright colors, curved lines and fairy-tale architecture. His dream worlds are world-famous. Friedensreich Hundertwasser is famous and infamous for his vision of a paradise on earth - a human life in harmony with nature, shaped by individual creativity. He put his life and work at the service of this vision.

In public speeches, letters, manifestos and demonstrations, he advocated his ecological and socially critical positions. He made them a reality through architecture and environmental protection in practice. His appeals are still relevant today.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser wanted to open people up to beauty, activate their creative abilities and raise awareness of nature and the need to protect it. The exhibition focuses on the aspect of "opening up": In a cosmos of around 80 graphics, photographs, quotes and film material, visitors are sensitized to perception, prompted to reflect with questions and invited to create with hands-on stations.

Hundertwasser's work is inconceivable without the immediacy of a child's view of the world and the lightness of children's drawings. In his words: "Why not let the children draw their figures on the sidewalk and draw their lines on the walls and walls of the streets? ... Let the children speak...", the exhibition would also like to give the young audience a chance to have their say and see the pictures and invite adults to look through the children's eyes together with them.

For young people and adults who would like to delve deeper into the subject of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the exhibition offers introductory texts to the seven chapters of the exhibition and selected Hundertwasser texts for discussion.

The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Ernst Barlach Museumsgesellschaft Hamburg - supported by the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation.

General information