The exhibition ‘Are We Still up to it?’ – Art & Democracy' will also be on display at the New Palace in Herrenchiemsee in the summer of 2026. The title of the exhibition quotes the tech rap group Deichkind and calls on us to strengthen the values of democracy even in times of growing social tensions.
Under this theme, over 50 major works from the Sammlung Moderne Kunst (Modern Art Collection) are presented in the historic unfinished rooms of Herrenchiemsee Palace. Ten chapters highlight the importance of creative self-expression, the fundamental values of our constitution, and the possibilities for social participation. Works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Max Beckmann, Rosemarie Trockel, Joseph Beuys, Maria Lassnig, and Gerhard Richter span the arc from classical modernism to the present day and engage in an impressive dialogue with the extraordinary architecture of the palace, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025. The exhibition refers to the constitutional convention, which laid the foundation for the German constitution at Herrenchiemsee in 1948.
The impressive staircase features a new presentation by artist Paloma Varga Weisz. She is one of today's leading sculptors and combines existential questions with a sensitive approach to materiality and surreal elements in her poetic works.
Artists (selection):
John Baldessari, Max Beckmann, Joseph Beuys, Lisa Brice, Deichkind, Günther Förg, Sheila Hicks, K. H. Hödicke, Jörg Immendorff, Asger Jorn, Anselm Kiefer, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Maria Lassnig, Henri Laurens, Inge Mahn, Henry Moore, A. R. Penck, Pablo Picasso, Judit Reigl, Gerhard Richter, Rosemarie Trockel, Paloma Varga Weisz, Andy Warhol, and others.
Curated by Verena Hein, Anja Heitzer and Oliver Kase
