The permanent exhibition presents the innovative work of the Darmstadt artists' colony between 1904 and 1914.
Following on from the first part of the collection presentation "RAUMKUNST - Made in Darmstadt 1901", the second part also refers to the idea of the members of the artists' colony to achieve an interpenetration of art and everyday life with each individual project design. Individual objects should not only be aesthetically designed, but should also merge together - as part of completely designed spatial arrangements - to form a total work of art.
Installation view "Raumkunst - Made in Darmstadt 1904-14", Museum Künstlerkolonie, Institut Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, 2021, Photo: Gregor Schuste
The new presentation focuses on various aspects of the development of a new aesthetic model that combined functionality, simplicity and mass-produced goods with new distribution channels. Joseph Maria Olbrich and Peter Behrens in particular set new standards not only with their future-oriented architecture, but also with their modern interior design, which was further developed in the Werkbund, which they founded, and later by the Bauhaus. On display are over 150 pieces of furniture, ceramics, books, textiles, sculptures, models, paintings, prints and drawings by Joseph Maria Olbrich, Peter Behrens, Albin Müller, Emanuel Josef Margold and others, which illustrate the importance of the Mathildenhöhe for the development of design and architectural history.
