Current

Jan Bontjes van Beek

25.7.2025 - 6.4.2026

The eventful life of Jan Bontjes van Beek (1899–1969) reflects the highs and lows of 20th-century German history. A ‘strikingly handsome (...) sailor who was a good dancer,’ he arrived in the artists' colony of Worpswede in 1919 and soon found a place to stay with the Breling family in Fischerhude, who introduced him to the art of ceramics. With the support of his second wife, the architect Rahel Weisbach, he moved to Berlin in 1933, where his studio became a well-known meeting place for many artists. He was arrested by the Nazis and his daughter Cato was executed in Plötzensee prison. After the war, Jan Bontjes van Beek decided to teach at the Weißensee Art Academy in East Berlin, but was unable to come to terms with the GDR regime and was dismissed as director in 1951. He then found employment as a teacher, first in West Berlin and finally in Hamburg, and continued his ceramic work, which gave the free spirit stability. Like no other, he emphasised physicality in form and dynamism in colour. In turbulent times, he sought the right balance for his vessels and ultimately for himself.

The works by Christine Atmer de Reig, Antje Brüggemann, Volker Ellwanger, Martin Schlotz and Barbara Stehr on display in the adjoining room show the significant influence Bontjes had on German ceramic vessels.

The exhibition, curated by Sebastian Jacobi, will be on display until 6 April 2026. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Jan and Olga's granddaughter Saskia Bontjes van Beek, who supported us with numerous loans and valuable information. We are also grateful to Bernhard Braumann, Sebastian Jacobi, Ludwig Rinn, Dr. Seippel, Dr. Vehring and the Werner family for providing us with further loans from their collections.