Zero+

The so-called "Zero Hour" was heralded by the artists Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and later Günther Uecker as an act of artistic liberation at the end of the 1950s to throw off the ballast of the Second World War, which they increasingly perceived as a burden on art and which they wanted to counter with something new, bright and positive. After this bleak period of war, light gained immense importance in art, reflective materials, mirroring and dynamic spatial constructions magically attracted the Zero artists. The artists turned their backs on past art aesthetic ideals and new philosophical aspects found their way into art considerations. The idea of Zero was quickly carried out into the world. However, against the backdrop of emerging social change, the artists' group apostrophized as early as 1966 that Zero was dead and disbanded as a formation in the same year. At the same time, the emerging period of upheaval also brought forth new, fruitful projects such as those by Charles Wilp and Yves Klein, who literally went into the void as early as 1961, thus redefining the fixed point between birth and death. Two years earlier, the artist friends had already produced the LP "Musik der Leere" & "Tanz der Leere". Their concepts are also the subject of the exhibition, as is Zero's legacy, which lives on and has grown in many artistic ideas. For example, in the light and space installations by conceptual artist Mischa Kuball, whose architecture-related works captivate the viewer and holistically change the perception of the moment of the art experience, or Ólafur Eliasson, whose works perhaps point us in a new direction. The photographs by Hartmut Neumann, which contrast with his colorful paintings, are cosmic. The exhibition also traces the history of Zero.

In addition to representative works by Mack, Piene and Uecker, portraits of the three old masters by Michael Dannenmann and Sabine and Ansgar van Treeck will also form part of the presentation.

We would like to thank the Braun families for lending works from the ZERO group. We would also like to thank the collectors Lisa & Stephan Oehmen, Ingrid Freifrau von Droste zu Hülshoff Wilp, Galerie Löhrl, Galerie Beck & Eggeling, the artist Mischa Kuball, the ZERO foundation, Michael Dannenmann and Sabine and Ansgar van Treeck.

OPENING HOURS

Tuesday - Friday 14:00 - 18:00

Saturday, Sunday, public holiday 11:00 - 16:00

Monday closed

Free admission

FRAMEWORK PROGRAM

Thursday, April 17, 2025, 6:00 p.m.

Curator tour with Dr. Sandra Abend

Admission: 5 euros, reduced 2.50 euros

Friday, April 25, 2025, 6:00 p.m,

Art & Wine

"Zero influence - Hero wine"

When the wine and not the winemaker sets the direction.

Moderated wine tasting with wine expert Daniela Rothschuh

Admission: 26 Euro

Saturday, May 10, 2025, 3:30 - 5:00 pm,

Art café with Dr. Barbara Könches, Director ZERO foundation & Dorothée Coßmann, Managing Director of Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Rheinland, moderated by Dr. Sandra Abend

Admission: 5 euros, reduced 2.50 euros

Saturday, May 10, 2025, 5:30 p.m,

Festival of Lights & BBQ, Zoran Velinov transforms the art space into a projection surface and soundscape with his own compositions

Admission: 10 euros, reduced 5 euros

Further information:
www.hilden.de/ausstellungen