The Gemäldegalerie in Berlin is hosting 60 masterpieces evacuated from the Museum of Western and Eastern Art in Odesa, Ukraine, amid the Russian ongoing aggression.
The 1924-established Odesa Museum’s location in the historic city center has been particularly vulnerable to Russian attacks.
“Odesa’s beautiful old town, where the Museum of Western and Eastern Art is situated, has been attacked by missiles time and again,” said the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in his speech at the exhibition opening, according to The Art Newspaper.
“In countless Ukrainian towns and cities, listed buildings continue to be damaged, cultural institutions destroyed and works of art stolen. The attacks against museums, theatres, operas and libraries are intended to wipe out Ukraine’s cultural memory,” Steinmeier added.
The exhibition titled From Odesa to Berlin: European Painting from the 16th to the 19th Century showcases European paintings from the 16th to 19th centuries, including works by renowned artists Frans Hals, Francesco Granacci, and Bernardo Strozzi. It marks the largest exhibition of the Ukrainian museum’s works ever shown in Germany.
These pieces were evacuated to emergency storage facilities shortly after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi requested Berlin’s assistance after concerns about storage conditions in emergency facilities. Many paintings arrived without frames and received temporary wooden ones for display.
“The collection is part of Ukraine’s cultural identity and has numerous connections to Western European collections,” states museum director Dagmar Hirschfelder, who co-curates the exhibition with Sabine Lata.
UNESCO designated Odesa’s historic center as a World Heritage site in early 2023. Later that year, the organization issued a statement condemning extensive Russian military strikes that damaged approximately 20 of the city’s historic and religious buildings.
The presentation creates deliberate dialogues between the Odesa works and 25 pieces from Berlin’s own collections. According to the museum, these pairings illuminate shared artistic heritage, as many of the featured artists are represented in both institutions.
The German president expressed his wish for the exhibition to reach a broad international audience from Germany, Europe, and beyond.
He also voiced hope that the artworks would provide Ukrainian refugees in Germany with a connection to their homeland.
Steinmeier emphasized his desire for the paintings to return to their rightful home at the Museum of Western and Eastern Art in Odesa, once Ukraine is free, independent, and safe from military threats.
The admission to the exhibition is free of charge for Ukrainians. All materials, including the catalog, are available in three languages: Ukrainian, German, and English. Following its Berlin run, the exhibition will relocate to Heidelberg’s Kurpfälzisches Museum in October.
Related:
- Russia’s war on culture and freedom of speech: 145 Ukrainian artists, 95 journalists killed since 2022
- “War is part of Russian culture,” Zelenskyy says, marking 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
- Ukraine’s culture ministry explores how art helps cope with trauma amid war
- UNESCO estimates $ 9 billion needed to revive Ukraine’s culture and tourism
