With its collection and in-house art library, including an artists’ archive, the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie (KOG) pursues a unique mission within Germany: to preserve, communicate and research the artistic heritage of the formerly German-influenced areas in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
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With its collection of exceptional works of art by a whole range of renowned artists, the Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie is in a league of its own. As the historical term "ostdeutsch" reveals, the museum’s unique art collection has been compiled with a special focus – the common denominator being biographical or content-related connections to those regions in Eastern Europe that were formerly German settlement areas. Alongside German pieces, works by Czech, Slovakian, Polish and Russian artists are also represented. Most of the artworks can be found in the graphic arts section, but there are also smaller collections of paintings and sculptures. A selection of these can be found in the permanent exhibition. Since 2008, the steadily growing holdings of the Michaela Riese Foundation have been integrated into the collection.
The origins of the collection
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The two co-founders of the KOG – the Adalbert Stifter Association in Munich and the KünstlerGilde e.V., originally based in Esslingen – were responsible for the museum’s original collection. By the early 1980s, this had grown to include around 20,000 works of art. Ten years after its opening, the KOG had already acquired almost half of its present stock. Many of the works were purchased with the support of the federal states and the federal government, while other pieces were donated, acquired as complete artist estates or on permanent loan.
The reference library
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The KOG also has a public library with a reference collection, focusing on German and East Central European art from the 19th to the 21st century. In total, the library contains around 23,000 volumes, including important reference works, exhibition catalogues and artist monographs. In addition, auction and antiquarian catalogues as well as art and culture magazines are available. The library is affiliated to the Bavarian Library Network (BVB). The holdings can be searched online via the University of Regensburg’s Regensburger Katalog (OPAC) and are marked with the location code “9990”.
The artists' archive
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The artists’ archive offers information on approximately 4,400 artists. In addition to artists whose works feature in the KOG collection, you will also find other names that correspond to the museum's collection focus. The archive collects artists’ estates, media reports and small publications.