Hans Uhlmann’s (1900–1975) metal sculptures, like his drawings, were a distinctive feature of post-war modern art in Germany. And yet, Uhlmann’s drawings and sculptures are still largely unknown to the broader public. After 1945 the graduate engineer decided to devote his career entirely to art and took on large-scale projects for public space, including the sculptures outside the Deutsche Oper and in the Hansa Quarter. Apart from exhibiting his own work in many West Berlin galleries, he promoted modern and contemporary art by curating. The exhibition at the Berlinische Galerie, opening in February 2024, traces the periods of his oeuvre from the 1930s up until the 1970s. Bringing together about 80 exhibits – sculptures, drawings, photographs and archival material – it also examines his role as a curator, university lecturer and networker in post-war West Berlin.

At the beginning of the new year, the Fondation Beyeler will devote a comprehensive solo show to Canadian artist Jeff Wall (b. 1946). Featuring more than 50 works spanning five decades, the exhibition presents a comprehensive overview of the artist’s ground-breaking oeuvre, from his iconic large-scale transparencies displayed in lightboxes, to his large-format black-and-white photographs and inkjet colour prints. Conceived in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition places particular emphasis on works produced in the last two decades, among them photographs on public view for the first time.