When can the exhibition be seen?

The exhibition runs from 2026-06-11 17:00:00 to 2026-09-18 18:00:00.

Is there an admission fee?

No, admission to all ongoing exhibitions is free.

Are there guided tours?

Yes, Iwalewahaus is happy to organize guided tours by arrangement.

Is the building accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes, there is a barrier-free entrance located in the inner courtyard and can be reached via Münzgasse.

What is the best way to get there?

Iwalewahaus is best reached by bus or on foot from the city center.

Colors, memory, and Africa: Ruth Baumgarte redefines Bayreuth's Iwalewahaus

Name: Ayeye - Ruth Baumgarte at Iwalewahaus
Start: 2026-06-18T14:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-18T20:00:00+02:00
Location: Iwalewahaus (Universität Bayreuth)

Ayeye! A dialogical summer at Iwalewahaus

With the exhibition Ayeye! Ruth Baumgarte at Iwalewahaus, a remarkable exhibition space is created in Bayreuth that places the Iwalewahaus collection in direct dialogue with the oeuvre of Ruth Baumgarte for the first time. The presentation connects contemporary African art, European modernism, and the color-saturated work of an artist who has developed an independent visual language over seven decades.

An art experience between memory and present

Ruth Baumgarte, born in 1923 and died in 2013, is known as a figurative painter, draughtswoman, and graphic artist, whose work is oriented towards reality and simultaneously makes the inner experience visible. Her Africa cycle, shaped by more than 40 trips to the continent, shifted the focus of her painting towards color, dignity, movement, and cultural perception. The exhibition in Bayreuth therefore opens a cross-continental view on identity, memory, and social reality.

Collection meets oeuvre: Curatorial tension with depth

The Iwalewahaus, an institution with an internationally significant collection of art from Africa, the African diaspora, as well as Asia and the Pacific, is focusing on a dialogical approach. The works do not stand next to each other illustratively, but relate as independent voices. Figuration, line, sign, script, and material unfold a dense atmosphere in the space, where cultural narratives, spiritual references, and historical experiences intertwine.

Ruth Baumgarte: Color as attitude

Baumgarte's art is characterized by precise observation, social consciousness, and a strong compositional presence. Her works on people in working worlds, on role models, and on the Africa cycle form a complex oeuvre that has received international attention. The exhibition in Bayreuth makes this development sensually tangible and shows how an emotionally condensed art experience emerges from drawing, painting, and graphic precision.

Place with character: The Iwalewahaus as a cultural resonance space

The Iwalewahaus of the University of Bayreuth sees itself as a place for the production and presentation of discourse-oriented art. For visitors, this means: a concentrated exhibition visit in a house that connects cultural education, scientific contextualization, and aesthetic experience. Admission to the ongoing exhibitions is free; guided tours are organized by arrangement.

Conclusion

Ayeye! Ruth Baumgarte at Iwalewahaus promises an exhibition of particular density: vibrant, reflective, and art-historically significant. Those who want to experience contemporary and modern art in dialogue will find a place for discovery, deepening, and genuine contemplation of works here. A visit to Bayreuth is definitely worthwhile.