Of Water and Cheese — Zentrum Paul Klee
By 3pm, the winter day at Bern was waning. I debated where to go as I wandered randomly in town. Bus 12 just passed by me, going to Zentrum Paul Klee and so I hopped on. Having crossed through the town and onward to its outskirts, the bus took me there in 20 minutes.
Zentrum Paul Klee had a very special appearance with three domes, or otherwise wave-like arches. The Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the structure. The wavy tops express a unity between man and nature, as they are meant to bear resemblance to the hills that surround the City of Bern.[1]
The museum houses more than 4,000 pieces of artwork by Paul Klee, who was a Swiss-born artist. These pieces are on display on rotation in the permanent exhibition. The Zentrum serves as the research center for the life of Paul Klee and his influence.
Paul Klee (1879-1940) was born near Bern in 1879 to a German father and a Swiss mother. In his early years as an artist he was established as the Munich avant-garde, and a member of the artist group “Der Blaue Reiter” (Blue Rider). He made his breakthrough after a visit to Tunisia with August Macke and Louuis Moilliet. Thereon he developed his own style, mainly in abstract drawings and paintings. He also explored new materials and creative media for his art. During WWI, the period in his life that was on exhibit when I visited, Paul Klee established a cult following with his art.
Since then, he wrote on the theory of art, and taught as a professor at the Dusseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. As an artist, Paul Klee belongs to “the most important creative artists of the 20th century Classic Modernist movement.”[2]
This exhibition that I saw focused on Paul Klee in WWI. He was fighting on the German lines then, though spared of the frontline battles. As he was mostly sitting behind his desk in the air fields, he had time to develop his art further. Some of the artwork clearly shows inspiration from the instruments of war, mostly in his references to aero-planes in his drawings. The artwork was more interesting than beautiful, however; though, as always, I did enjoy the first-hand descriptions of war in the diaries displayed.
Back on ground floor, another exhibition showed a theme of people with Down Syndrome. That included the work done by them, and for them. I had to leave my backpack at the door, as guests could not bring their bags into the exhibition. Then I did a quick go-around, and left. I thought that, despite its good intentions, the exhibition failed to convey aesthetic value. As such, it ended up leaving an unfavorable impression on people with Down Syndrome, which was a pity.
I spent 20 CHF on the Zentrum, and sadly to say I thought it was steep for what I saw. For I later realized that the Kunstmuseum (Museum of Art) housed work by Monet, Picasso and many European artists on three large floors. There was a minute or two that I regretted spending time at Zentrum Paul Klee.
Yet, in my better judgment, I knew that it was more worthwhile to see the work of a Swiss artist. Paul Klee was clearly a national pride of Switzerland.
[1] Inexhibit.com, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern at https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/zentrum-paul-klee-bern/
[2] Zentrum Paul Klee, Introductory Brochure.