Kunstmuseum Luzern (Museum of Art Lucerne), is an art museum founded in 1932, and is located within the
Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre
The Culture and Congress Centre in Lucerne (or KKL for ''Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern'') is a multi-functional building with a concert hall that is esteemed for its high-profile acoustics.
It was built according to the plans of the archite ...
(or KKL Luzern). It is one of the most important art museums in Switzerland known for its temporary rotating exhibitions of all genres, including
contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic co ...
.
History
The Art Society Lucerne () was founded in 1819 with the aim of creating a forum for artists and citizens interested in art and providing them with premises for exhibitions. In 1932, the Kunstmuseum Luzern moved into the Kunst- und Kongresshaus building (nicknamed Meili-Bau) built by Armin Meili (1892–1981), which was expanded in the 1970s.
Since 1982, the Kunstmuseum Luzern has represented Lucerne and the
Canton of Lucerne at the
Manor Cultural Prize
Manor Cultural Prize (; ) is a Swiss fine arts prize awarded every two years by the Manor (department store) alongside art museums in 12 Swiss cities, which was founded in 1982 in Lucerne. The goal is to promote emerging artists under the age of 40 ...
, held once every two years.
In 1991 the Meili-designed building was demolished. From 1996 to 1998, the Lucerne Culture and Congress Center KKL was constructed on the same site, designed by the French architect
Jean Nouvel
Jean Nouvel (; born 12 August 1945) is a French architect. Nouvel studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was a founding member of ''Mars 1976'' and '' Syndicat de l'Architecture'', France’s first labor union for architects. He has o ...
. In 2001, the museum was moved into the newly designed Kunst- und Kongresshaus building.
About
The Kunstmuseum Luzern is located on the 4th floor of the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre (or KKL Luzern) in Lucerne. The art collection of the Kunstmuseum Luzern sees itself as a "cultural archive of the Central Switzerland region" and houses several thousand objects from the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
to the present-day. The museum shows five to eight temporary exhibitions per year, featuring artists of both Swiss and international origins. Past exhibitions have reached an audience of 30,000 to 50,000 people.
Fanni Fetzer serves as the museum director since 1 October 2011.
See also
*
List of contemporary art museums
Contemporary art museums around the world specialize in collecting and exhibiting contemporary art. The following is an alphabetical listing of major contemporary art museums, divided by country. A number of such museums are named Museum of Cont ...
References
External links
Official website
Art museums and galleries in Switzerland
1959 establishments in Switzerland
Museums in Lucerne
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