Alexander und Renata Camaro Stiftung

27th February – 28th May 2016
On the 100th birthday of Unica Zürn

13th March 2016, 5 pm – Ilma Rakusa (Zürich), reading
14th April 2016, 8 pm – Friederike Beck, docudrama
10th May 2016, 8 pm – Seyko Itoh Ensemble, concert
26th May 2016, 7 pm– Dr. Rike Felka (Berlin), lecture

Unica Zürn's early artistic works have so far received little attention. During the early post-war years the author and artist was a member of a Berlin bohème centred around the legendary surrealist cabaret "The Bath Tub". Zürn entered into a love affair with the painter Alexander Camaro. Their spiritual kinship is reflected in a dynamic artistic exchange taking place in the years from 1949 to 1953. The inspiration and creativity of the Berlin years were to influence Zürn for the rest of her career. In her autobiographical prose she later described this period of her life as a "window to another world".

Years later Unica Zürn met Hans Bellmer in Berlin and followed him to Paris. There the couple became part of the circle of French surrealists. Zürn's works were shown at several exhibitions in Paris and she received particular acclaim for her drawings and anagrams.

Camaro Haus now for the first time pays tribute to the artistic constellation Unica Zürn – Camaro – Hans Bellmer with an interdisciplinary exhibition. Some 100 exhibits from private collections – paintings and watercolours, including Zürn's early artistic declarations of the 1950s, drawings, photographs, short works of prose and letters – bring to life the creative intensity of the period, particularly the Berlin years.

» Flyer of the exhibition (PDF)

An exhibition catalogue will be published by
Brinkmann & Bose.



Programme at the Camaro Haus

Reading / Lecture
by the author Ilma Rakusa (Zurich) "Unica Zürn – muse, anagramatist, creator of a dream language"
Sunday, 13th March 2016, 5 pm (in German language)
» Information in German here

Docudrama
about Unica Zürn and Hans Bellmer, 1995, 70 min: "Les jeux à deux – games for two" Introduction: Friederike Beck, director of the film – Thursday, 14th April 2016, 8 pm (in German language)
» Information in German here

Concert / Musical Drama
"Unica Zürn – a homage" sponsored by the initiative neue musik berlin e.V. The composer Seyko Itoh (Tokyo/Berlin) dedicates her own compositions to Unica Zürn and performs works by Igor Strawinsky, Darius Milhaud and John Cage with her ensemble – Tuesday, 10th May 2016, 8 pm
» Information in German here

Lecture
by the literary scientist Dr. Rike Felka (Berlin) "The poetic image in the works of Unica Zürn" – Thursday, 26th May 2016, 7 pm (in German language)
» Information in German here

Opening hours

Tuesday to Saturday 1 – 5 pm
Wednesday 1 – 8 pm
Closed on Sunday and Monday

Groups by appointment
Phone +49 30 263 929 75
info@camaro-stiftung.de

Public tours in German language
Saturday 3 pm
Wednesday 6.30 pm

Admission free