Lothar Günther Buchheim's very own museum
Enchanting pools, pagodas and parklands greet visitors at the gates of the recently opened Buchheim Museum at Bernried, on the banks of Starnberger See. Resembling a seafaring vessel-cum-Olympic village, this must surely be one of the most unusual museums far and wide. Designed by Günther Behnisch, the controversial glass and steel eye-opener is home to the Buchheim Art Collection. Be forewarned: this is no ordinary art collection.
Having attracted international attention on a world tour in the 1980s, the collection is the brainchild of painter, photographer, publisher, art book author and novelist Lothar Günther Buchheim. The exhibition includes the work of such Expressionists as Ernst Kirchner, Erich Heckel and Max Pechstein, which is juxtaposed with the art forms that inspired it. These range from Bavarian folk art to African artifacts and Japanese woodcuts. Also on display are Chinese ink drawings, Indian shadow puppets, porcelain, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, not forgetting some 3,000 paperweights, which make for a veritable cultic cocktail.
The key to appreciating this exhibition is an understanding of the mind and vision of Buchheim (Chemnitz, 1918) the artist. The subject matter of his photographs and paintings is the result of what he perceives visually and how he interprets the world at large. Buchheim has often described himself as an “art demonstrator with a missionary fervor.” The “mission,” as reflected in his collection at Bernried, is to challenge viewers to discard traditional perceptions of art and view it through new eyes.
The best place to start is in the museum’s northern halls, which are filled with paintings, watercolors, drawings and prints of a group of Expressionists known as the “Brücke.” This emotionally charged art, whose sparse and bold style was way ahead of its time (1905–13), was deemed a protest against the official art of the Wilhelmine era. The stark, monumental forms, which shocked many traditionalists, are nowadays hailed as classics, marking the beginning of Modernism in Germany.
Some of Buchheim’s own exhibits probably tell us more about the artist’s youth than any in-depth biography could. As a student, Buchheim was a true circus aficionado. Happiest photographing circus folk between canvas and caravans, Buchheim remarks—somewhat tongue-in-cheek—that many of his models became famous as a result of these snap shots. Humor certainly is a hallmark of this exhibition. Curiosities abound, such as the double-spouted teapot inscribed “Tea for two” or the almost larger-than-life models of three men and a dog. If proof were needed that some dogs really do resemble their owners then here it is!
No visit to the Buchheim Museum, or Museum der Phantasie as it is also known, would be complete without visiting the “ship deck,” a diving board-like observation platform, which stands 12 meters above the lake. On a clear day you can see across to the Alps. The museum café offers an opportunity to sit and pause for thought over Kaffee und Kuchen.
The Buchheim Museum succeeds in creating a truly visual symbiosis of art, architecture and nature, sending the visitor on an exploratory journey into the world of Expressionism. At first glance, this kaleidoscope might seem like sheer chaos. But viewed as a whole, it represents a truly unique Gesamtkunstwerk, inviting visitors, in the words of Buchheim, to “believe their eyes and senses and decide themselves what they want to enjoy.” This is echoed in the museum’s guestbook, whose comments range from “overwhelming” and “simply cool” to “a consumer’s temple of art.” One visit will reveal but a mere fraction of the museum’s holdings. With so many more works waiting on the sidelines, the museum is ensured a fresh supply of material for decades to come. Proof that the repeat visitor to this truly living museum will never fail to see something different.
The Buchheim Museum, April to October, weekdays 10 am to 6 pm, weekends from 10 am to 8 pm, DM 15/ 7 admission. By S-Bahn: S6 to Starnberg then ship to Bernried (ticket gives reduced admission to museum). S6 to Tutzing then bus 9614 (RVO line), “Buchheim Museum” stop. By car: A 95 Munich-Garmisch, exit at Seeshaupt, follow signs to Bernried.
