Collection

Classics of Pop Art, Gerhard Richter and Georg Baselitz, graffiti painting and the Leipzig School: throughout their lives, Peter and Irene Ludwig have amassed an incomparable collection of outstanding works since the early 1960s. Donations and permanent loans from their collection are now housed in more than 20 museums worldwide. The home of this unique collection, however, is the Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst in Aachen, where the industrialist couple lived and from where they directed one of the largest chocolate and confectionery production operations in the former Federal Republic. The Ludwig Forum Aachen houses some 3,000 works from the collection.

The Ludwigs were among the first collectors of Pop Art. As early as 1968, they showed the new Americans in Aachen. Among them was Andy Warhol, whose unprecedented career is closely linked to the couple. In 1970, Peter Ludwig traveled to Duane Hanson in New York and acquired important groups of figures by the artist, including the Supermarket Lady. The early, scandalous presentations made Aachen a highly relevant exhibition venue for contemporary art-even before the photographic and hyperrealism of documenta 5 in 1972 began its conquest of Europe. Later, purchases by Jeff Koons, Jonathan Borofsky, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and others continued the American line.

Beginning in the early 1970s, the Ludwigs expanded their collecting activities into the GDR and Eastern Europe. Works from the “Eastern Bloc” could often only be acquired in groups, and the state sometimes had a say in the selection of works. Thus, historically relevant paintings are lined up with works by Ilya Kabakov and Erik Bulatov. Purchases in the USSR have been followed since 1983 by Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. Early works by Nedko Solakov and Dan Perjovschi thus entered the collection. Later, China and Cuba attracted the attention of collectors. Chinese and Cuban art in particular are focal points at the Ludwig Forum in Aachen.

In addition to the works from the Ludwig Collection, the museum’s holdings include a number of works from municipal collections. These include, for example, around 300 top-class video works by Bruce Nauman, Richard Serra, Laurie Anderson, Joan Jonas and Nam June Paik.

The following works from the collections at the Ludwig Forum are currently on display


Ground Floor:

Entrance
Julia Scher, Security by Julia (Dispenser), 2020

Hall
Jo Baer, Vertical Flanking Diptych (Large, Orange), 1966/67
Nairy Baghramian, Side Saddle Damenrad, 2009
Matti Braun, Eight Grey Sofas, 2010
Peter Brüning, Straßenwand, 1968
Nancy Graves, Mongolian Bactrian, 1969
Nancy Graves, Kenya Dromedary, 1969
Jenny Holzer, Ohne Titel, 1991
Jörg Immendorff, Naht (Brandenburger Tor – Weltfrage), 1982/83
Magdalena Jetelová, Der Setzung andere Seite, 1987
Jasper Johns, Scent, 1974
Konrad Klapheck, Heldenlied, 1975
Konrad Klapheck, Athletisches Selbstbildnis, 1958;
Gabriel Kuri, Items in Care of Items, 2008
Lee Lozano, Switch, 1964/65
Attila Mata, Paszport, 1986
Gerhard Richter, Permutationen 1 – 1024, 1973/74
Karla Sachse, Stabile Entwicklung, 1991
George Segal, Man on a Ladder, 1970
Wolf Vostell, Peter Fechter, 1965
Peter Young, Painting No. 2, 1966

Room 8
Laurie Anderson, China, in Downgrading of Mao, Attacks the Cultural Revolution, 1979
Fahr El-Nissa Zeid, Basel Carnival / Carnaval de Bâle, 1953
Nancy Graves, Aves: Magnificent Frigate Bird, Greater Flamingo, 1973
Nancy Graves, I Part of Sabine D Region, Southwest Mare Tranquilitatis, 1972
Nancy Graves, II Fra Mauro Region of the Moon, 1972
Nancy Graves, III Maestlin G Region of the Moon, 1972
Nancy Graves, IV Julius Caesar Quadrangle of the Moon, 1972
Nancy Graves, V Montes Appeninus Region of the Moon, 1972
Nancy Graves, VI Maskelyne DA Region of the Moon, 1972
Nancy Graves / Linda Leeds, Reflections on the Moon, 1974
Alex Hay, Steno Pad, 1966
Alfred Jensen, The Hekatompedon Pattern, 1966
Jasper Johns, Untitled (Ruler), 1968
Sol LeWitt, All Crossing Combinations of Arcs from Sides and Corners, Straight and Not-Straight Lines, 1973
Sol LeWitt, All Crossing Combinations of Arcs from Corners and Sides, Straight and Not-Straight and Broken Lines, 1973
Rune Mields, Nr. 26, 1969
Judy Pfaff, Ohne Titel, 1982
Miriam Schapiro, Geometry in Flowers, 1978

Room 9
Belkis Ayón, ¿Arrepentida? „Haz que el arrepentimiento sea sincero”, 1993
Belkis Ayón, Druckmatrize zu / Printing matrix of ¿Arrepentida?, 1993
Belkis Ayón, Pa‘ que me quieras por siempre, 1991
Belkis Ayón, Sin título (Hombre con Sikán en sus manos), 1993
Imi Knoebel, Projektion X, 1972
Christopher Knowles, The Red and Green Space Needle, 1977
Christopher Knowles, Map of the United States, 1979
Klaus Paier, Arschfick und Gaffer, 1978
Klaus Paier, Atomenergie bringt Tod, 1978
Klaus Paier, Der große Krieg, 1980
Klaus Paier, Es herrscht immer Krieg in den Fabriken, 1978
Klaus Paier, Und ein Mann und ein Junge, auf einem Fahrrad flogen sie davon um sich zu lieben, 1979
Robert Rauschenberg, Earth Day, 1970
Robert Rauschenberg & Susan Weil, Ohne Titel, 1949/50

Room 10
Carla Accardi, Ohne Titel, 1965
Lygia Clark, Arquitetura Fantástica (Bicho), 1963
Bertram Jesdinsky, Serie Baukasten! – „Blauer Widder“, „Gelber Vogel“ & „Schlauchtier“, 1989
Svetlana Kopystiansky, Landschaft, 1988
Svetlana Kopystiansky, Verpackte Geschichte, 1988
Svetlana Kopystiansky, Verpacktes Gemälde, 1988
Margit Palme, Auf dem Podest, 2017
Margit Palme, Aus meiner Sicht, 2006
Margit Palme, Bardame, 1972
Margit Palme, Der Blick, 2005
Margit Palme, Draperie, 1984
Margit Palme, Messerscharf, 2015
Margit Palme, Maskenfreiheit, 1984
Margit Palme, Kokon, 1994
Margit Palme, Quartett zu zweit, 1979
Margit Palme, Retusche, 2005
Margit Palme, Schlangenübung, 2015
Dorothea Rockburne, 3 Tears, 2 Folds, 1972
Dorothea Rockburne, Folded Paper with Lines, 1972

Courtyard and Loggia
Jonathan Borofsky, Ballerina Clown, 1990
Lars Breuer, Zero history, 2011
Wolfgang Nestler, Rastplatz für die Windstille, 1999
Claes Oldenburg, Colossal Ashtray, 1975

Park
Horst Antes, Lustgarten mit 7 Monumenten der Lüste oder Garten des Malers, 1967
Maija Baltiņa, Tantasdziesma [Volkslied], 1983
Gruppe Blaustich, GRUNDSTEIN mit BLAUSTICH, ca. 1976-2005
Thomas Virnich, Ludwigs Gartenhaus, 1991-93
Thomas Virnich, Rosentor, 1991
Artur Żmijewski, Bild der Lebenszeiten, Kunst der Roboter, lange Arbeit, Kunst der Lebensfreude, Gold, lebendige Gesichter, 2013

Ludwig Forum Aachen
Jülicher Straße 97–109
52070 Aachen
Tel. +49 (0)241 1807-104
Fax +49 (0)241 1807-101
info[at]ludwigforum.de

Opening hours
Tue-Sun 10am-5pm
Thu 10am-8pm
Closed on Monday

Library
Tue-Fri 1pm-5pm

Guided tours and workshops
+49 241 432 4998
museumsdienst[at]mail.aachen.de

Admission
Regular € 6.00
Reduced € 3.00

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