New Collection Display

Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean presents New Collection Display, a dynamic exhibition that features multiple generations of women artists born in Europe and the United States between 1930 and 1991. Bringing together works which recently joined the collection thanks to the generosity of German collectors Gaby and Wilhelm Schürmann with the support of the members of the Cercle des collectionneurs du Mudam Luxembourg, alongside existing pieces, this presentation strengthens the role of women artists within the museum’s collection.

Spanning artistic practices from the 1960s to today, the exhibition offers a particular focus on sculpture—its relationship to place and space alongside its reimagining of language as artistic material. Drawing from architecture and everyday objects, the participating artists challenge conventional notions of space and interaction. The selection of materials and processes—whether handcrafted or industrial—creates a dialogue with the history of artistic forms and techniques, set against the backdrop of global capitalism. Additionally, selected works from Gaby and Wilhelm Schürmann’s private collection expand the exhibition’s scope, playing with scale and self-portraiture.

Notable works include Defense of Necessity (2003) by Andrea Bowers and Stairway (2010) by Monika Sosnowska, both of which stand as significant milestones in the artists’ careers. Additional highlights include works by Carine Krecké, Annette Kelm, Zoe Leonard, Helen Mirra, Henrike Naumann and Diana Thater, among others. The practices of these women artists resonate with the political and cultural transformations of the past three decades—their work reflecting periods of significant social change, collective struggles and movements of resistance, challenging dominant narratives while imagining alternative futures.

An additional focal point is Nude Wing (2011), a monumental work by British artist Fiona Banner aka The Vanity Press, installed in the museum’s Grand Hall until August 24. Engaging in dialogue with Mudam’s iconic architecture by I.M. Pei, Banner transforms military aircraft components into sculptural forms that interrogate the tension between technological beauty and destructive power. Polished to a mirror-like finish, the six-meter-high wing reflects its surroundings, integrating visitors into the work. Through this installation, Banner prompts reflection on the aestheticization of weaponry, collective memory and the narratives that shape our perception of history. 

Committed to continually evolving its collection, Mudam presents this exhibition as part of a broader curatorial initiative. By fostering intergenerational dialogues between women artists, New Collection Display offers visitors a rare opportunity to engage with a collection that speaks to the issues of our time.

Artists
Leonor Antunes, Fiona Banner aka the Vanity Press, Andrea Bowers, Miriam Cahn, Carine Krecké, Jessica Diamond, Dominique Ghesquière, Annette Kelm, Eva Kot’átková, Zoe Leonard, Isa Melsheimer, Hana Miletić, Helen Mirra, Henrike Naumann, Charlotte Posenenske, Monika Sosnowska, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Diana Thater, Nora Turato.

Curators
Wilhelm Schürmann and Marie-Noëlle Farcy, assisted by Vanessa Lecomte