Ernst Wilhelm Nay Retrospective

With the beginning of National Socialist rule, Ernst Wilhelm Nay's life situation deteriorated considerably as his work was included in the "Degenerate Art" exhibition in Munich, while works in public collections were seized. C. G. Heise asked his friend Edvard Munch to financially support the stay of Nay in Norway. Nay travelled to Norway in the summer of 1937, a time during which he developed an innovative pictorial style with an energy-filled rhythm and colour alluding to his love of music.

Despite Nay’s historical significance, the study of his work has been mostly limited to individual creative phases. As current research sheds new light on his oeuvre, the Kunsthalle Hamburg presents a comprehensive retrospective, on view through August 7, 2022.