Menschenskinder

Children were one of the main concerns of the art collector and philanthropist Gustav Rau, who worked in the Democratic Repubilc of the Congo as a paediatrician. This is clearly reflected in many of the paintings and sculptures in his high-quality art collection. After his death, he bequeathed his art works to UNICEF. In the 10th exhibition in the Kunstkammer Rau in the Arp Museum, a selection of works is presented in an exciting dialogue with prize-winning photographs from the international competition "UNICEF Photo of the Year" to mark World Children's Day 2015. The fascinating comparison between the historic paintings and outstanding reportage photos displays a focus on children and childhood – from the Middle Ages to the present day. They tell of the blessing of children in the works of Van der Plaes and Sjöström, but also portray the hard daily routine of many children in the slums and crisis regions of the earth in those of Michelin and Bleasdale. Viewers look over the shoulder of orphan girls in Amsterdam with Liebermann and those of present-day schoolchildren in Yemen with Boushnak. And they experience children's development from infancy to youth and learn something of the social role-playing and the lives of children across the ages.

The exhibition catalogue features articles by: Jürgen Heraeus, Oliver Kornhoff, Cornelia Funke, Susanne Blöcker, Peter-Matthias Gaede, Martin Dornes, Una M. Röhr-Sendelmeier, Klaus Hurrelmann