Du bist Faust

About this book

Since its publication in the early 19th century, the world's most celebrated work in German literature has fascinated countless artists, challenging them to create their own interpretations on the theme. The exhibition presents over 150 paintings, works on paper, sculptures, photographs, music and films by artists from Europe and the US, like Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), Charles Gounod (1818-1893), Max Beckmann (1884-1950), Martin Scorsese (born in 1942), Anselm Kiefer (born in 1945) and Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989). The innovatively staged show takes visitors on a journey through the play's narrative as they accompany Faust on his relentless quest for the meaning and purpose of modern life. The exhibition follows the plot of the drama, which is brought to life in outstanding artworks. In the process, Goethe's protagonists expose society's weaknesses, as topics like the cult of youth, egotism, manipulation, corruptibility and an insatiable need for gratification also dominate everyday life. The exhibition confronts the audience with the drama's as yet unanswered issues; after all, Faust still resonates today. Exhibition: Kunsthalle München, Germany (23.02.-29.07.2018).