When does the exhibition start?

The exhibition starts on 09.07.2026 at 11:00 AM.

How long will the exhibition run?

According to event information, the exhibition cycle is on display until 23.08.2026.

How much is the entrance fee?

The regular entrance fee is 4 euros and 3 euros reduced.

Is the museum accessible?

Yes, the exhibition spaces in the Diesel Power Plant are accessible via elevators.

What are the opening hours?

The Diesel Power Plant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Where does the exhibition take place?

At the Brandenburg State Museum of Modern Art - Diesel Power Plant Cottbus, Am Amtsteich 15, 03046 Cottbus.

Painterly Freedom Meets Photography: Pückler Seen Anew at BLMK Cottbus

Name: Strangers and Freedom. Pückler – Dialogue about a Cosmopolitan. Mona Höke and Kathrin Karras
Start: 2026-07-09T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-07-09T21:00:00+02:00
Location: Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum für Moderne Kunst - Dieselkraftwerk Cottbus

A dialogue between painting, photography, and the idea of freedom

At the Brandenburg State Museum of Modern Art in the Diesel Power Plant Cottbus, a multi-layered exhibition cycle titled Strangers and Freedom unfolds, bringing Mona Höke and Kathrin Karras into a poetic dialogue with Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau. The presentation combines painting, photography, digital image production, and unique painting into an artistic experience that intertwines historical figures, artistic present, and aesthetic experience in a special way.

When images respond to one another

The artistic allure of this exhibition lies in the collaboration itself: Höke and Karras not only exhibit alongside each other, but also work together on images for the first time. This creates a spatial effect in which different visual languages overlap, complement, and rub against each other. Upon entering the Diesel Power Plant, visitors encounter an exhibition atmosphere that sharpens the view of identity, strangeness, and cosmopolitan openness.

Pückler as a thought figure between cosmopolitanism and contradiction

The reference to Hermann von Pückler-Muskau opens the historical horizon. Pückler is still regarded as a colorful figure in European cultural history: traveler, garden artist, writer, and social border crosser. The exhibition does not present him as a museum artifact, but rather as an impulse for contemporary questions: How do cultural translations arise? What does freedom mean in an image? And how can the foreign be artistically captured without oversimplifying it?

Painting meets photography

Particularly exciting is the interplay of the media. Photography, digital image production, and painting coalesce into works that oscillate between objectivity and openness. This curatorial constellation invites a close examination of the works: Color spaces, layering, surfaces, and fragmentations create that tension that makes contemporary art so vibrant. This is where the strength of this exhibition lies: it does not rely on quick clarity, but on the productive moment of seeing.

The Diesel Power Plant as a strong venue for contemporary art

The BLMK, with its collection, is among the most important museums for art from the GDR and the subsequent artistic traditions. In the industrially shaped ambiance of the Diesel Power Plant, the exhibition unfolds a unique presence. The architecture enhances the perception of space, material, and light, making the visit an intense cultural educational experience. For those who wish to experience contemporary art in a historically charged setting, this is the right place.

Visit, context, and recommendation

Strangers and Freedom promises an insightful, sensual, and demanding look at artistic collaboration, image creation, and the question of freedom in cultural memory. For art enthusiasts who appreciate painting, photography, and conceptual exhibition practice, this event is among the recommended exhibitions of the summer in Cottbus. A visit is definitely worthwhile in person, as the full aesthetic experience unfolds only in front of the original.