18.03.2022 – 10:44

Tübke Monumental: Digital Innovation Meets German Art History in Leipzig

Tübke Monumental: Digital Innovation Meets German Art History at the Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig

With the project "Tübke Monumental", Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig presents a completely new approach to one of the most important artists in German art history from 11 March to 31 December 2022. Werner Tübke (1929-2004) studied at the Academy of Visual Arts (HGB) in Leipzig and later belonged to the so-called “Leipzig School”. Known for his panoramic painting "Early Civil Revolution in Germany", he worked for a total of eleven years from conception to completion on this work of art, which is now based in Bad Frankenhausen in Thuringia. With an area of 14 x 123 metres, it is the largest painting in Central Europe.

To honour the life’s work of Tübke Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig presents his painting that is also known as “the sixtina of the north” in a new, innovative way. Visitors can expect a spectacular immersive art show in the former heating plant that developed into a centre for digital art. Using the latest technologies of digitalisation, the imposing key work of German art history is brought to life and re-established in public perception. It also creates new opportunities for schools and museums to vividly convey the period and its protagonists.

"We consider the engagement with Werner Tübke's original and new interpretations through digital innovation to be contemporary. This approach to cultural heritage should inspire a discussion about how we can keep history and art history and their messages alive and keep rediscovering them," says Markus Löffler, operator of Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig and initiator of the project "Tübke Monumental".

Thanks to a cooperation with Centrica the 1,700-square-metre panorama could be captured in high resolution. The Italian company is based in Florence and is the leading specialists in the field of digitising paintings. About 3,000 individual giga pixel images served as the basis for the digital installation, which can now be seen in the Kunstkraftwerk. Visitors are thus offered completely new dimensions of viewing as well as an exploration of the painting down to the smallest detail. "Tübke Touch", a cloud-based ArtCentrica application, allows for a targeted enlargement of the painting, which is hardly graspable in its original size and the richness of its figures. Thus the artistic heritage can be studied in a new and fascinating manner.

The highlight of the exhibition is considered to be "The Great Circle": With high-resolution digital images, Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig offers a multimedia and immersive light and sound installation. In the 27-minute performance, visitors can immerse themselves in Werner Tübke's Peasants' War epic in an extraordinary way. Under the direction of new media artist Franz Fischnaller and with the collaboration of Cineca, leading high-performance computer centre in Italy and based in Leipzig’s partner city Bologna, as well as the American composer Steve Bryson, a novel interpretation of the masterpiece was created.

"The Great Circle" tells the cycle of failing utopias and touches its viewers with the subject matter of life and death as well as doom, hope, rebellion or submission on an emotional level. This is a key experience designed to open the viewer's heart and mind. The eternal themes of human history are made visible as selected scenes from the Tübke panorama glide across the walls of the huge machine hall in 360 degrees around the visitors.

Before "Tübke Monumental" goes on an international tour, the exhibition can be experienced at the Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig from 11 March to 31 December 2022 between 10 am and 6 pm, always on the hour. Admission costs 13 euros, reduced rate 10 euros. Tickets should be pre-ordered online.

Further information:

Are you interested in a media trip to get an authentic impression of the Leipzig Region and its diverse facets? Please feel free to contact us and let us know about your topics. Further information is available at www.leipzig.travel/press

Dana Marschner
International PR Manager
 
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