In erster Linie

From January to September 2022, Neues Museum in Nuremberg presented a selection of works from the Stadler Collection to the public for the first time. The exhibition made use of the museum’s six large-scale façade galleries along Klarissenplatz, whose open architecture creates a direct connection between art and urban space.

The lower galleries featured serial wall works by Gerold Miller. The glossy or matte surfaces of his metal pieces engage in a dialogue with the surrounding space, extending perception beyond the physical wall. Miller’s works are a central component of the Stadler Collection. The acquisition of "Riverside Wall" in 2011 marked the beginning of an ongoing engagement and documentation of the artist’s practice. An interview with Gerold Miller about his art and his connection to the Stadler Collection can be found here.

On the upper floor, works by Gregor Hildebrandt, Brigitte Kowanz, and Heimo Zobernig were shown. Despite the diversity of their artistic media – from magnetic tape to light-based scripts to conceptual color surfaces – they share a strong sense for formal structure: line, surface, and color.

The exhibition title "In erster Linie" (in the first place, in the forefront, literally “in the first line”) allows for a double interpretation: it refers both to the position of the artworks in the street-facing galleries and to the formal reduction that underpins many of the pieces on view.

The exhibition brought collection, space, and everyday life into a vibrant dialogue.
“We’ve gained an entirely new perspective on the works we’ve collected,” said Rainer Stadler during a walk-through of the exhibition.