Leseprobe

37 MNK: The Siedle company focuses on quality and technical innovation coupled with trad­ itional craftsmanship. Do you see a connection between your collection and the company ethos and philosophy? GS: Everything that distinguishes Siedle resonates somewhere in the collection and can be found in the history of the artworks and the artists. As mentioned before, art is anchored in the company’s corporate history and the long line of entrepreneurs in the family. In add­ ition to quality and sophisticated technology, the Siedle brand is characterised by excellent design. The company’s guiding principles stipulate as top priorities a high level of social responsibility towards employees, the environ- ment and the location. These principles and values are not only laid down in writing, but have been practised and lived over generations. In this respect, I see a very strong connection between the collection and the company as well as parallels to the company’s mission, statement and philosophy. MNK: You have been collecting art for over thirty years now. Again and again, new works have been added that change the view of the ones already in the collection. Are there and were there for you – also speaking for your husband – certain key works in your collection to which your new acquisitions have always referred? GS: In the sense of the goal of representing as many creative periods in an artist’s life as possible, new acquisi- tions were always oriented towards existing works and their supplementation. Of course, there were also prior­ ities for works that we considered particularly attractive and absolutely wanted to have in the collection. For example, Picasso’s Tête de femme (Jacqueline) (Head of a Woman [Jacqueline]) ( FIG. 14, PP. 30/31 ), a wonderful and expressive sheet metal work. We actually chased after her and what I said to my husband from time to time came to fruition in this instance. At some point, after several “unacceptable offers”, she came to us after all – at a reasonable price. It took a lot of patience, and, in the end, hardened negotiating skills as well. MNK: From today’s perspective, when you look back over the years of your collecting activities, would you say that it was a consistent develop- ment overall or were there also “bad purchases” or purchases that strayed from the main focus? GS: At the very beginning of my husband’s collecting activities, there were two purchases which, although they shouldn’t be considered “bad buys”, pretty quickly found themselves out of step with the consistent trend of the collection. The two works by Pierre Bonnard and Auguste Renoir were the only ones that were sold on. Graphic works by Tom Wesselmann and works by André Brasilier could perhaps be described as having strayed from the main focus. They fall outside the scope of Classical Modernism, but are covered by the focus on “depictions of women”. MNK: Has your view of the works in the collec- tion changed over the years, and if so, to what extent? What was important to you in the past, what is important today? GS: Yes, of course the view of and perspective on the works in the collection change over the years. Just as one changes oneself. Again and again, when you look closely at the pictures, you recognise your own situations in life, or they tell new stories that are suddenly of interest because they address a current phase of life. If you look at the different creative periods in the lives of the artists, it is also easy to identify which phase they were in at the time or which experiences had made a bold impression on them. For example, the confrontation with the war changed the colour, technique and expression of all the artists’ works. Kirchner’s brushstrokes in the painting Soldat und Mädchen zwischen bunten Vorhängen (Sol- dier and Girl Between Colourful Curtains) ( CAT. 27, P. 115 ), for example, suddenly become tight, thin and nervous. In a completely different way, the bathers paintings set in the Moritzburg lakes testify to youthful insouciance and the Brücke artists’ urge for freedom. When I look at Chagall’s pictures today, I see – in a completely different way than before – not only the vivid splendour of colours and colourful stories, but also recognise his deep religios- ity, his joy and his respect for creation. If you look at Picasso’s works, especially his self-portraits shortly before his death, you think you can see that he sensed and feared approaching death in equal measure. Lines and strokes fade and seem to dissolve. So there is a great deal, if you will, to draw from the collection and the works. Again and again , when you l oo k c losel y at th e p i cture s , you r e c ognis e your o w n situati o ns in lif e , or the y t e ll new st o ries that are suddenly of interest b ec a u se t hey a d dre s s a c u rre n t pha s e o f lif e .