Ludwig Galerie Schloss Oberhausen

With an ambitious and continuously alternating programme of exhibitions, Ludwig Galerie presents loans from all over the world within the neoclassical castle complex according to three main subject areas.

The Ludwig Collection
with its extensive range of works is presented in Oberhausen within the concept of unusual and overlapping themes. The basis was established by the activities of the collecting couple Peter and Irene Ludwig, who demonstrated an innate solidarity with all world cultures spanning from antiquity to the present day.

The exhibition programme was originally inaugurated with the presentation of Götter, Helden und Idole (Gods, Heroes and Idols, 1998). Further exciting shows were dedicated to approaches to mourning and the world of pots and vessels. Living Stones presented Mother Nature as an artist and human skill in terms of designing with hard stone. CHINA – Tradition und Moderne (Tradition and the Modern Era) laid claim to the international aspect of cooperations.

The Popular Gallery 
on the other hand is dedicated to the presentation of illustration, poster art, caricature, comics, photography and other genres attributed to the applied arts. Important positions from Gottfried Helnwein and Manfred Deix have been shown as well as works from Wilhelm Busch. Renowned photographers including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Peter Lindbergh, Thomas Hoepker, Jim Rakete and Elliott Erwitt have also been optimally set in scene in the finely proportioned exhibition spaces.

The Landmark Gallery 
is concerned with the structural change within the region, placing this in an international context. The former coal and steel region is being transformed into a centre for the service industry, and landmarks such as winding towers, chimneys and smelting works that once formed the face of the Revier district are disappearing. Others such as the Gasometer in Oberhausen and the Zollverein colliery winding tower in Essen have become new landmarks. Exhibition projects and outdoor events accompany the process.