The 21 RuhrKunstMuseen represent a unique urban museum landscape in Europe and showcase over 150 art exhibitions every year across 45,000 square metres in 16 cities in the Ruhr region. Founded as part of RUHR.2010 – European Capital of Culture, the network is realising a large-scale exhibition project to mark its 15th anniversary in spring 2025, bringing together the RuhrKunstMuseen collections in a joint show at Villa Hügel in Essen. Exceptional works from the diverse collections will enter into a dialogue that is both surprising and inspiring – the special exhibition will be put together entirely from the world-class art collections of the region’s own museums.

From 7 February to 2 May 2021 Museum Folkwang and Villa Hügel will be showcasing the work of artist Martin Kippenberger. Kippenberger’s rarely shown masterpiece The Happy End of Franz Kafka’s ‘Amerika’ will be on display in Museum Folkwang’s large exhibition hall in the impressive dimensions of its “original version” from 1994. Meanwhile, Villa Hügel will present his artist books and posters in the exhibition Forgotten Interior Design Problems at Villa Hügel. Both exhibitions will open to the public on 6 February 2021.