What's On at Europe's Museums

Back to Life in Rwanda

Development Ministry, Berlin

Germany's Development Minister Heidemaire Wieszorek-Zeul has opened a show of photographs at the ministry dedicated to looking at Rwanda ten years after the genocide. The exhibition, entitled "Rwanda - Back to Life", is comprised of some 80 photographs by photographer Thomas Lohnes. The images deal with the relationship between the attackers and their victims, the problems of returning to daily life, and the situation of street children. Wieczorek-Zeul says they show the scars left by the horrific genocide of 1994, but also demonstrate how people are working towards justice and reconciliation. The exhibition, which will move on to other German cities after Berlin, has already been on show in Rwanda's provincial capitals.

"Rwanda - Back to Life" runs from July 4 to end of August.

Art from the New EU

Museum Küppersmühle, Duisburg

In a colourful display of the contemporary, Duisburg's Museum Küppersmühle has opened its doors to artists from the ten new EU members for an exhibition aptly name "The New Ten". The show is designed to document the massive cultural and artistic diversity of the new member states and pave the way for non-political, non-economic dialogue. The art on show, which is largely the work of unknown artists, is as varied as the countries it comes from, and it contains painting, installations and video art. After Duisburg, the show will move on to Vienna, Mannheim and Ostende.

"The New Ten" runs from July 4 to September5 and is open Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 6p.m., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Pop Art Part One: Andy Warhol's Self Portraits

St. Gallen Art Museum, St. Gallen

Not only did Andy Warhol choose Marilyn Monroe and Cambell's Soup cans as his subject, he also focused on himself from time-to-time, producing a series of self portraits including paintings, sketches and photographs. The St. Gallen Art Museum in Switzerland has gathered a collection of this work completed between 1948 and 1986. After exhaustive research, the curators have produced a truly all-encompassing show, with many of the works displayed publicly for the first time. For example, Warhol did a series of large format portraits in 1967 using alienating colors, calculated contrasts and shadows -- four of these have made it into the exhibition.

"Andy Warhol: Self Portraits" runs through September 12, Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pop Art Part Two: Lichtenstein Times 100

Museum Reina Sofia, Madrid

Fifty paintings and just as many drawings and sculptures by New York Pop Art icon Roy Lichtenstein form the basis of this show in the recently-completed new wing of the Museum Reina Sofia in Madrid. So high-profile is the exhibition of Lichtenstein's work, Queen Sophia turned-up to officially kick-off the opening ceremonies and the artist's widow flew in for the event. The works largely span the years 1961 to 1996, including the one-meter high sculpture "Brushstrokes", which Lichtenstein finished in 1996.

"Roy Lichtenstein: All About Art" runs through September 27, Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays.