How long will the exhibition run?

The exhibition will be on view at the Kunsthalle Mannheim from 03.07.2026 to 11.10.2026.

Where does RADICAL. REAL. take place?

At the Kunsthalle Mannheim, Friedrichsplatz 4, 68165 Mannheim.

What is the admission price?

The regular admission to the Kunsthalle Mannheim is 16 euros. There are discounts and free admission on certain days.

Are there tours of the exhibition?

Yes, Kunsthalle Mannheim offers public tours and a companion program. Current dates are available in the museum's program.

Is Kunsthalle Mannheim easily accessible?

Yes, the museum is centrally located at Friedrichsplatz and is well accessible by public transport and by car.

Are there educational offers?

Yes, Kunsthalle Mannheim offers tours, workshops, and other outreach formats for various target groups.

Nouveau Realism in Mannheim: When everyday objects become great art

Name: RADICAL. REAL. Nouveau Realism and the Art of the 1960s
Start: 2026-09-16T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-11T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Kunsthalle Mannheim

A radical art experience between everyday life, object, and renewal

With RADICAL. REAL. Nouveau Realism and the Art of the 1960s, the Kunsthalle Mannheim opens a focused look at one of the most influential art movements of the post-war period. The exhibition gathers around 150 works and shows how artists in Europe, Latin America, and the USA made reality itself the material of art.

When the everyday becomes art

Nouveau Realism unfolded around 1960 as an international movement with the claim to re-measure the boundary between art and everyday life. Found objects, consumer items, industrial surfaces, and traces of urban life received a new dignity. In Mannheim, this development is not only narrated art historically but also made tangible through immediate artwork observation: as an encounter with painting, sculpture, object art, and assemblage that sharpens the view of reality.

Arman, César, Yves Klein, Niki de Saint Phalle, and other positions

Starting from outstanding works from the collection of the Kunsthalle Mannheim, the exhibition leads through central positions of Nouveau Realism. Works by Arman, César, Yves Klein, Mimmo Rotella, Daniel Spoerri, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Jacques de la Villeglé form the core. Additionally, artists such as Alina Szapocznikow join in, whose works raise similar questions about body, material, memory, and social reality. Thus, a multifaceted panorama of the 1960s as an era of upheaval emerges.

The 1960s as a visual laboratory of modernity

The exhibition traces the artistic developments up to the early 1970s, opening the view to consumer society, media culture, and environmental awareness. The art experience thrives on the tension between form and fragment, between smooth surface and vulnerable materiality. This is precisely where the lasting impact of this art lies: it transforms the seemingly familiar into an aesthetic experience with political and social depth.

Curatorial precision and educational quality

Curated by Luisa Heese with curatorial assistance from Dr. Stefano Agresti, the exhibition relies on scientific accuracy and clear communication. The Kunsthalle Mannheim combines its collection strengths with a vibrant educational offering, public tours, and accompanying formats. Thus, the exhibition becomes a place of cultural education where historical analysis and sensory perception reinforce each other.

Conclusion

RADICAL. REAL. is a major exhibition about the renewal of art in the 1960s, about thinking with things, and about the aesthetic energy of reality. Those who want to understand how everyday objects, fragments, and gestures resulted in a new artistic vocabulary should experience this exhibition in Mannheim live.