{"id":11844,"date":"2026-07-18T09:52:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kunsthallemessmer.de\/news\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T09:55:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:55:18","slug":"news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kunsthallemessmer.de\/en\/news\/","title":{"rendered":"News"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Realm of Color\u2014The Soul of Art<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Andr\u00e9 Evard (1876\u20131972)on the 150th anniversary of his birth <\/p>

June 12 \u2013 September 20, 2026,, Powerlong Art Museum<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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View of the spiral staircase, Hall 1, Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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On the occasion of the 150. Birthday<\/b> On June 12, 2026, Lea Qin Messmer<\/b> (Director of the Messmer<\/b> Art Gallery) and J\u00fcrgen Messmer<\/b> (Chairman of the Messmer Foundation) opened the international exhibition “Realm of Color \u2013 Soul of Art”<\/b> at the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai, China,<\/b> dedicated to the work of Swiss artist Andr\u00e9 Evard (1876\u20131972<\/b> ). The exhibition presents 172 works<\/b> from the Messmer Foundation collection and celebrates the diverse oeuvre of this important Swiss artist. The exhibition is<\/b> already<\/b> considered one<\/b> of the most outstanding<\/b> and emotionally impactful presentations<\/b> since the opening<\/b> of the Powerlong Art Museum. <\/p>

Among the countless guests were Dr. Norbert Riedel<\/b> (German Consul General in Shanghai), Gregor Fritsche<\/b> (Deputy Consul General of the Swiss Consulate in Shanghai), and Peter Wei\u00df<\/b> (former member of the Bundestag and representative for employee elections).<\/p>

The exhibition, which runs through September 20, 2026, features oil paintings,<\/b>watercolors,<\/b> andgouaches<\/b> by the artist from his four main body of work: Art Nouveau, <\/b>still lifes, landscapes<\/b>, and abstract art<\/b>. For the first time, Xu Jinkang<\/b>\u2014 entrepreneur, <\/b>collector<\/b>, and founder<\/b> of the Powerlong Art Museum\u2014is opening the spiral gallery, normally<\/b> reservedexclusively for his own private collection<\/b>, for a guest exhibition. Thus, the presentation of Andr\u00e9 Evard\u2019s works also marks a special premiere<\/b> for the Powerlong Art Museum. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From left to right: Lea Qin Messmer (Director of Kunsthalle Messmer), J\u00fcrgen Messmer (Founder of the Messmer Foundation), Xu Jinkang (Entrepreneur, Collector, Founder), Wendy Jinkang (Director of the Powerlong Art Museum).<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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At the exhibition opening ,<\/b> Lea Qin Messmer and J\u00fcrgen Messmer presented Xu Jinkang\u2014<\/b> the entrepreneur,<\/b> collector<\/b>, and founder<\/b> of the museum \u2014<\/b> and his daughter Wendy Jinkang ( <\/b>director of the Powerlong Art Museum) with a significant work from the Andr\u00e9 Evard Collection. The painting\u201cChurch Against a Dark Background\u201d<\/i> (1925) was personally selected by Xu Jinkang for the museum\u2019s collection and will remain permanently in China even after the exhibition ends. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Guided tour for children under 6 with Lea Qin Messmer through the Andr\u00e9 Evard exhibition, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The exhibition in Shanghai sees itself as a cultural bridge<\/b> between Germany<\/b> and China<\/b> . The photograph by Lea Qin Messmer during a children’s tour symbolizes the next generation<\/b> and the future<\/b> of this dialogue. Alongside the works of Andr\u00e9 Evard, the exhibition conveys art history in a lively and accessible way \u2013 especially for young visitors.<\/b> The immediate impact of the intensely colored works was evident from the very first days of the exhibition: children and school groups<\/b> stood captivated before the paintings, enthralled by the expressive power of the colors<\/b> and forms<\/b> , even without any prior art historical knowledge .<\/b> The exhibition thus impressively demonstrates that Evard’s art resonates across generations<\/b> and offers an intuitive approach<\/b> to abstract art. This creates a place for meeting<\/b>, learning<\/b>, and intercultural <\/b>exchange<\/b> that brings people together across borders<\/b>.<\/p>

In its first few weeks alone, the exhibition attracted more than 30,000<\/b>visitors<\/b> from Germany and abroad, generating an exceptionally strong international response<\/b>. The grand opening was not only attended by high-ranking political figures but was also closely followed by numerous international media outlets<\/b> and press representatives from around the world. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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J\u00fcrgen Messmer with Gregor Fritsche (Deputy Consul General, Swiss Consulate in Shanghai) during their joint tour of the exhibition<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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J\u00fcrgen Messmer (Chairman of the Foundation), Lea Qin Messmer (Director of the Kunsthalle Messmer), Lu (Executive Director of the Powerlong Art Museum), Dr. Norbert Riedel (Consul General of the German Consulate in Shanghai) with his wife, and Peter Wei\u00df (former Member of the Bundestag and Social Election Commissioner)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With an impressive total area of \u200b\u200bapproximately 23,000 m\u00b2<\/b> spread across 11 exhibition spaces, the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai<\/b> has established itself as one of China’s most dynamic cultural institutions<\/b> since its opening in 2017. Founded by Xu Jiankang with the vision of promoting traditional Chinese culture while simultaneously giving new impetus to contemporary art, the museum uniquely unites past and present. As a non-profit private museum, the Powerlong Art Museum focuses on high-caliber<\/b> exhibitions<\/b> , international collaborations<\/b> , and a diverse educational program<\/b> that makes art accessible to a broad audience. Spacious, modernly equipped exhibition halls and striking architecture create an immersive<\/b> art experience<\/b> of international caliber. <\/p>

With its clear focus on cultural exchange and artistic innovation, the museum positions itself as an important platform for dialogue<\/b> between the<\/b> Chinese<\/b> and international art scene<\/b> \u2013 and as a key driver for the future of art in the 21st century.<\/p>

Visit the website: http:\/\/www.powerlongmuseum.com\/index.html?l=en-us<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Messmer Foundation, Riegel am Kaiserstuhl, since 2005<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Messmer Foundation was <\/b>founded in 2005 by former entrepreneur and art collector J\u00fcrgen Messmer<\/b>. It operates the Kunsthalle<\/b>Messmer<\/b>, which opened in June 2009 and has since served as an important venue for art education and cultural exchange. <\/p>

The Kunsthalle Messmer boasts a prominent location<\/b> in the border region of three countries<\/b> and attracts international visitors from Switzerland<\/b> , France<\/b> ,<\/b> and Germany<\/b> . More than 60,000 people<\/b> visit the Kunsthalle annually<\/b> , which presents up to three high-caliber<\/b> exhibitions in the fields of classical modern and contemporary art. The exhibitions feature works from the museum’s own collection as well as loans from international private and museum collections. <\/p>

Since its opening, the kunsthalle messmer haspresented <\/b>more than 53 groundbreaking<\/b>exhibitions <\/b>, including those on Picasso, Mir\u00f3, Dal\u00ed, Le Corbusier, Warhol, and <\/b>, most recently, Chagall,<\/b> Niki de Saint Phalle, Le Corbusier, Hermann Hesse, and others <\/b>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A central component of the Messmer Foundation\u2019s collection and <\/b> of <\/b>J\u00fcrgen Messmer \u2019s commitment <\/b>is the work of Swiss artist Andr\u00e9 Evard ( <\/b>1876\u20131972). He founded the Swiss Concrete-Constructivist<\/b> movement. Messmer\u2019s connection to Evard began in 1974, when a major American collector drew his attention to the artist. Through research, including visits to La Chaux-de-Fonds, his enthusiasm for Evard\u2019s multifaceted body of work deepened. <\/p>

The collection at the Messmer Foundation is thus one of the most extensive collections in the world that manages, preserves, and presents the artist’s works in international <\/b>exhibitions<\/b>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Who is Andr\u00e9 Evard?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Andr\u00e9 Evard (born 1876 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and died 1972 in Le Locle, Switzerland) was far ahead of his time \u2013 an early pioneer of<\/b> abstraction<\/b> when others were still clinging to figuration. Coming from the Art Nouveau movement, he developed a distinctive<\/b> , constructive visual language<\/b> during his artistic career, creating an impressive body of work comprising more than a thousand<\/b> paintings, drawings, and watercolors. He studied at the \u00c9cole d’Art<\/b> in La Chaux-de-Fonds and attended classes with Charles<\/b> L’Eplattenier<\/b> , a former student of Ferdinand Hodler<\/b> . Within the avant-<\/b> garde<\/b> circles, with connections to figures such as Le Corbusier and Theo van Doesburg,<\/b> Evard worked uncompromisingly between abstraction<\/b> and figuration<\/b> . The latter unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Evard to collaborate with the Dutch art and design group “De<\/b> Stijl.”<\/b> Evard’s abstract, cubist, and constructivist works, created during his years in Paris, were exhibited at the Salon des Ind\u00e9pendants<\/b> and the Salon d’Au<\/b> tomne<\/b> . In 1937, Evard joined the newly founded artists’ group Allianz<\/b> (the Association of Modern Swiss Artists, founded by Richard Paul Lohse<\/b> and Leo Leuppi<\/b> ) as member number 10. <\/p>

Evard never painted either<\/b> \/ or<\/b> , but always both at once<\/b> : representational paintings that captivate with their intense colors<\/b> and radical abstraction<\/b> in balanced harmony<\/b> . His sunrises condense nature and landscape into expressive<\/b> fields of color in which light, sky, and forms already merge into abstraction. The romantic landscapes<\/b> and the abstracted rose series<\/b> also follow this movement of motif, color, and dissolution. <\/p>

It is precisely this sunrise painting, currently on display at the Powerlong Art Museum, that exemplifies this attitude:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Andr\u00e9 Evard, *Sonnengl\u00fchen*, 1960, oil on cardboard, 26.5 x 40.5 cm<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Why did we choose the Powerlong Art Museum?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Introduction to the exhibition \u201cThe Realm of Color \u2013 The Soul of Art\u201d in Hall 1, Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To the 150. Birthday <\/b>by Andr\u00e9 Evard will be featured <\/b>in the exhibition \u201cThe Realm of Color \u2013 <\/b>The Soul of Art\u201d ( <\/b>June 12, 2026 \u2013 September 20, 2026 at the Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China) <\/b>A total of 172 works<\/b> by the artist<\/b> are presented in four central groups<\/b> : Art<\/b> Nouveau, still life, landscape and abstraction.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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End of the spiral-shaped tour in Hall 1, Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The exhibition at the Powerlong Museum allows visitors to experience this tension in a spatial context<\/b>. The spiral staircase<\/b>, similar to the one at the Guggenheim in New York, becomes part of the concept: As they ascend, visitors experience a simultaneous view. Across the open atrium, works face one another\u2014landscape meets geometry, still life meets constructive composition. Not one after the other, but all at once<\/b>. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Andr\u00e9 Evard in Hall 1, Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The exhibition begins with Evard’s Art Nouveau style as its foundation<\/b> . As it ascends, representational<\/b> and abstract groups of works<\/b> follow, including classic still lifes<\/b> and expressive landscapes<\/b> . The arrangement becomes more open, the view more unobstructed. Deliberately placed sightlines connect the different levels, creating a quiet dialogue between the paintings. At the very top of the spiral, the abstraction section culminates in the abstract<\/b> rose series<\/b> , which forms the exhibition’s high point<\/b> . The tour concludes with key works that exemplify the various groups of works and bring the exhibition to a close. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A Tour of Hall 1, Powerlong Art Museum, Shanghai, China<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cThe Realm of Color, the Soul of Art\u201d<\/b><\/span> at the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai, China ( <\/b>June 12, 2026 \u2013 September 20, 2026) builds an impressive bridge between <\/b> Europe and <\/b> China while <\/b>also offering a unique educational gateway to Western<\/b>visual language<\/b> through the works of Andr\u00e9 Evard. <\/p>

Following their presentation in Shanghai, the 172 works<\/b> return for the major anniversary<\/b> exhibition<\/b> from October 17, 2026, through April 18, 2027 <\/b> back to the Kunsthalle Messmer. There, they enter into a fascinating dialogue with works by prominent artists such as Paul Klee, Willi Baumeister<\/b>, and Max Ackermann<\/b>, and place the tribute to Andr\u00e9 Evard within a broader art-historical context. <\/p>

Those who are unable to visit the exhibition at the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai by September 20, 2026, will have a special opportunity to<\/b>experience<\/b> this extraordinary artistic bridge between <\/b> the past, the present, and international cultural spheres for themselves<\/b> at the Kunsthalle Messmer starting October 17, 2026.<\/b><\/p>

You can find more photos at the following link:<\/b><\/p>

https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/scl\/fo\/x0kmluxjcn8et8hroixma\/AIxwEIU-tmvN4EIB2xx11AQ?rlkey=rsia6xf6sozwqfizk0f7gni71&st=vl5fxka8&dl=0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Broadcast on CCTV and CGTN<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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