Uri Aran Theatre of Speaking Objects. Works from Slg. Wilhelm Otto Nachf Collection 

In contrast to museum collections, which are often assembled according to historical or scientific criteria, private collections set individual emphases and reflect personal passions. They provide deep insights into the world of the collector – a world characterised by subjective preferences, experiences and discoveries. The Slg. Wilhelm Otto Nachf. is a striking example of this type of individually curated collection.

The origins of the private collection lie in Cologne. In the 1980s, the city developed into a centre of European contemporary art: Art Cologne was initiated in 1967. It is regarded as the world’s first art fair organised by and for commercial galleries as a place to present and sell modern and contemporary art. The legendary exhibition Westkunst – Zeitgenössische Kunst seit 1939, co-curated by Kasper König, who died in 2024, was shown in Cologne in 1981. Following the success of the ‘Neue Wilde’, a group of artists who created a stir in the early 1980s with their untroubled, expressive painting, the cathedral city achieved international renown. While Düsseldorf could shine with a renowned art academy and important exhibition centres, Cologne’s legendary art scene emerged more informally: people met in pubs and clubs such as the Roxy, or in cafés such as the Broadway and Central.

This environment provided a fertile setting and source of inspiration for the Slg. Wilhelm Otto Nachf., which includes outstanding Cologne artists such as Cosima von Bonin, Isa Genzken, Georg Herold and Marcel Odenbach. However, the collecting passion of the entrepreneur, who wishes to remain anonymous, has not been restricted by the city limits: today, his collection also includes paintings, sculptures, photographs and video works by internationally acclaimed artists such as Ed Atkins, Miriam Cahn, Petrit Halilaj, Cindy Sherman and Wolfgang Tillmans.

Around 90 works by 38 artists have been selected for the Theatre of Speaking Objects exhibition, offering a diverse spectrum of art to be viewed in the sky-lit rooms of Kunsthalle Nürnberg. The exhibits are assigned to thematic contexts: In this way, a multimedia narrative unfolds in six different chapters, providing intimate insights into the collector’s universe and creating novel connections between the works. Incidentally, the name Slg. Wilhelm Otto Nachf. was chosen by the entrepreneur in memory of his two grandfathers, Wilhelm and Otto...

The title Theatre of Speaking Objects cites a long-term project of the same name by Czech artist Eva Koťátková, also presented in the exhibition. It deals with the isolation of those who are unable to communicate verbally and so live outside the social norm. The installation consists of a wooden shelf on the wall, on which the artist shows collages, cut-outs and photographs. Lines enclose the depicted children, adults and animals inside geometric shapes and create constricting architectures. The work is inspired by a series of sketches by Czech architect Jiři Kroha, which were produced as part of the Theatre of Things puppet theatre; Kroha developed this theatre for patients and staff in a sanatorium in Kosmonosy. In the context of the exhibition, the title functions as a universal metaphor for the exhibits on show. Although they are equally incapable of communicating verbally, they still tell fascinating stories in their own remarkable way.