„Museums Today Are More Relevant Than Ever — as Places of Encounter, Dialogue, and Democracy.“

CH Dear Dr. Spieler, we are delighted to speak with you today about the Sprengel Museum. Let us begin with your arrival in Hanover: What led to your move here in 2014, and why was becoming Director of the Sprengel Museum a position you particularly aspired to?

RS The Sprengel Museum is one of the very few institutions in Germany that combines internationally significant art of the 20th and 21st centuries with a strong local identity. Its exceptional collection — from Kurt Schwitters and Niki de Saint Phalle to contemporary art — along with the museum’s architectural and conceptual openness, was enormously appealing to me. The opportunity to work with and further develop this collection represented a major professional opportunity and was, in fact, a true dream position.

CH The museum bears the name of Bernhard Sprengel, a Hanover-based chocolate manufacturer and passionate art collector. Could you tell us a bit about the history of the institution and the role his donation continues to play?

RS Without Bernhard Sprengel, this museum simply would not exist. His generous donation to the City of Hanover — above all works of classical modernism — laid the foundation for the Sprengel Museum. This spirit of patronage continues to shape the institution to this day. The idea that a private passion for art can be transformed into a public responsibility is, in many ways, part of our DNA.

CH You have now been Director of the Sprengel Museum for more than a decade. How has the museum evolved during this time, and which priorities have you and your team set?

RS We have further sharpened the museum’s profile: on the one hand, by caring for, expanding, and reinterpreting the collection; on the other, by presenting ambitious temporary exhibitions with international resonance. It has always been important to me to understand the museum as an open space — accessible, vibrant, pleasurable, and discursive — without ever losing its intellectual depth.

CH Looking back, what would you do differently today based on your more than ten years of experience, and what would you do exactly the same again?

RS Every project is a learning process, both organizationally and intellectually. In retrospect, I might approach certain processes in a more participatory way from the outset. What I would definitely do again is take the risk of staging major exhibitions and adopting clear curatorial positions. Without courage, there is no relevance.

CH When it comes to the museum’s curatorial approach, where do you see the particular strength of the Sprengel Museum? What can visitors expect?

RS The museum’s greatest strength lies in the interplay between the collection and the present. Visitors do not encounter isolated masterpieces, but rather artistic positions in dialogue — with one another across generations, media, and themes. The museum is a place of focus, but also of sensual experience.

CH In September 2025, the Sprengel Museum opened the exhibition Love you for infinity, on view until February 14, 2026. For the first time, works by Niki de Saint Phalle, Yayoi Kusama, and Takashi Murakami are presented together, based on an extraordinary donation. Could you tell us more about this exhibition and its background?

RS The starting point is the donation of more than 400 works by Niki de Saint Phalle to the City of Hanover in 2000 — an inheritance that overnight made the Sprengel Museum home to the largest public Niki de Saint Phalle collection in the world. Twenty-five years later, this legacy deserved to be celebrated — but not through a conventional monographic exhibition. We wanted to do something different. The connection with Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami arises from shared themes such as joie de vivre, love, infinity, death, and the relationship between art and commerce. It is not about placing works side by side, but about creating a dynamic and tension-filled dialogue between three distinct artistic universes.

CH Looking back at recent years, which exhibitions stand out to you personally as highlights?

RS In addition to Love you for infinity, I would count exhibitions such as the major Beckmann–Picasso show two years ago among the highlights — a project I had been contemplating for a long time. The presentation of Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto in 2016 was also particularly formative, as was the major photographic survey True Pictures?, which once again established Hanover as an important center for artistic photography. I am especially convinced by projects in which the collection and contemporary art intertwine productively — for example, exhibitions on Kurt Schwitters or monographic presentations that open up new perspectives. They do not always have to be blockbuster shows: younger art, which we engage with continuously, often represents the true highlights for me. Ultimately, what matters most is whether an exhibition has a lasting impact.

CH Do you have a favorite work in the collection?

RS That actually changes over time. But works by Max Beckmann, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Kurt Schwitters accompany me closely — they are not only art historically significant, but also possess an extraordinary emotional presence.

CH Over the course of your career, you must have met many inspiring individuals. Are there any encounters that have stayed with you in particular?

RS Encounters with artists are always especially formative — particularly when one senses the consistency and passion with which they work. Exchanges with international curators are equally enriching, as they continually broaden and sharpen one’s perspective. I am also deeply impressed by individuals who support a museum over many years without seeking the spotlight. In this regard, I would like to explicitly mention Angela Kriesel, the daughter of Bernhard Sprengel, who has always maintained a close connection to the museum. Her loyalty, sustained commitment, and above all her modesty are anything but self-evident and remain a great source of inspiration for us.

CH Turning back to the institution itself: What distinguishes the team at the Sprengel Museum, and how do you maintain such a palpable sense of enthusiasm and openness toward art? During our visit, we were struck by how engaged and attentive your staff are toward visitors.

RS The team is highly professional and at the same time deeply passionate. Many identify very strongly with the museum. Openness emerges when responsibility is shared, trust is given, and everyone works together toward an idea of the museum that is not elitist, but genuinely welcoming.

CH Beyond exhibitions, what other highlights does the museum offer today?

RS Our educational programs are particularly important — talks, guided tours, and behind-thescenes insights, such as those into restoration projects. These elements make the museum feel alive and approachable for visitors. Another true highlight is our major event Sprengel tanzt on February 14 this year, when the museum transforms into a large party with multiple dance floors. While it is a logistical challenge, it is absolutely worth it — because everyone realizes that museums can be great fun and are anything but dusty.

CH The art and cultural landscape is undergoing significant change. What do you see as the greatest challenges today, and what opportunities arise from them?

RS One major challenge is the funding of culture. At the same time, there is an enormous opportunity: museums today are more socially relevant than ever — as places of encounter, identity formation, dialogue, and even democracy.

CH How do you view digital developments in the art world? Do you see more risks or more opportunities?

RS Both. Digitality can make art more accessible and enable new forms of mediation. But it cannot replace the physical experience. The original work, the space, the sense of concentration — all of this remains essential.

CH Finally, what wishes and visions do you have for the future of the Sprengel Museum?

RS I hope that the Sprengel Museum will continue to be courageous, inspire a broad audience, and gain even greater national and international visibility — as a place that demonstrates how art at the highest level can bring joy, move people emotionally, and have a meaningful impact on society.