With the exhibition Pictures We Love, the Kunsthalle Emden is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The show is a retrospective, a review of the museum's current position, and a preview of the future—inviting visitors to discover works of art that have accompanied the museum over the decades.
The history of the Kunsthalle Emden began with Henri and Eske Nannen's vision of making their private collection accessible to the public out of their passion for art. This idea gave rise to a museum that has developed into one of the most important art venues in northern Germany. Today, the collection comprises outstanding works of 20th-century art as well as key 21st-century pieces, particularly thanks to the donation by Otto van der Loos. More than 150 special exhibitions and over 2.5 million visitors mark four decades of intensive engagement with modern and contemporary art.
Pictures We Love focuses on this story and presents the museum's collection through selected key works. In a loosely chronological dramaturgy, central chapters of art history are revealed: from Expressionism to New Objectivity to art after 1945 in Germany. Contemporary works complement the presentation and bridge the gap to the present. At the same time, the exhibition tells the story of the development of the collection itself—of personal preferences, passionate decisions, and the people who have shaped the Kunsthalle Emden. Their voices lend the show a subjective, personal level and make it clear how art unfolds its meaning across generations.
The anniversary is therefore not only an occasion to look back, but also an invitation to see the collection in a new light: as a living structure of history, present, and future—and as an expression of those images that have remained because they move, challenge, and accompany us.
April 26 to November 1, 2026
