Berlinische Galerie

Hans Uhlmann’s (1900–1975) metal sculptures, like his drawings, were a distinctive feature of post-war modern art in Germany. When he was imprisoned by the Nazis in 1933, he made sketches of filigree wire heads for implementation after his release. After 1945 the graduate engineer decided to devote his career entirely to art. In the 1950s, Uhlmann’ figurative forms gradually evolved into constructivist compositions. Uhlmann 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.

And yet Uhlmann’s drawings and sculptures are still largely unknown to the broader public. The exhibition traces the periods of his oeuvre from the 1930s up until the 1970s. Bringing together about 80 exhibits – sculptures, drawings, photographs and archive material – it also examines his role as a curator, university lecturer and networker in post-war West Berlin. This is the first major retrospective for over 50 years.