Independent Collectors

Schloss Kummerow Collection

A world-class contemporary photography collection housed in a baroque-style castle in Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

MICHAEL WESELY, Schloss Kummerow (20.10.2014 - 20.10.2015), 2016. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
MICHAEL WESELY, Schloss Kummerow (20.10.2014 - 20.10.2015), 2016. Photo: © Thomas Wesely

Officially having opened its doors to the public in May 2016, the Fotografische Sammlung Schloss Kummerow is the passion-driven project of Berlin real estate entrepreneur Torsten Kunert. After seeing the decaying castle in 2011, Kunert knew immediately that this charismatic, and at that point crumbling, castle was something special but did not know then that it would become the home to his private collection of approximately 2 000 works of photography, including highlights of East German photography as well as positions with a social and political reference. In addition to the renowned German photo artists such as Helga Paris, Ute & Werner Mahler and Sibylle Bergemann, contemporary international stars such as Marina Abramović, Thomas Struth and Hiroshi Sugimoto are also presented alongside.

What makes Schloss Kummerow particularly special is the setting in which the collection is presented – all of the exhibited works are shown against the raw walls of the castle, highlighting the history of the space whilst at the same time celebrating the future of what the castle has and will become.

Here, in their first presentation on IC, we share a selection of installation views from the private collection.

Denken ist die Erste Buergerpflicht. Photo: ©Werner Lieberknecht
Denken ist die Erste Buergerpflicht. Photo: ©Werner Lieberknecht
SIEGFRIED WITTENBURG, Gesichter der Revolution, Rostock, 1990. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
SIEGFRIED WITTENBURG, Gesichter der Revolution, Rostock, 1990. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
WERNER MAHLER, Abiturienten, 1977/78–2015. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
WERNER MAHLER, Abiturienten, 1977/78–2015. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) ADRIAN SAUER, (a), 2014; (b), 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) ADRIAN SAUER, (a), 2014; (b), 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) RICHARD MOSSE, Because the Night, 2012; FIONA BANNER, Mirror Fin, 2010; DANIELE BUETTI, Flagge # 25, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) RICHARD MOSSE, Because the Night, 2012; FIONA BANNER, Mirror Fin, 2010; DANIELE BUETTI, Flagge # 25, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(front–back) SEBASTIAO SALGADO, Churchgate Station, Bombay, 1995; THOMAS DEMAND, Junior Suite, 2012; HIROSHI SUGIMOTO, Lightning Fields 225, 2009. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(front–back) SEBASTIAO SALGADO, Churchgate Station, Bombay, 1995; THOMAS DEMAND, Junior Suite, 2012; HIROSHI SUGIMOTO, Lightning Fields 225, 2009. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) PHIL CHANG, Replacement ink for epson printers (Cyan 446003), 2015; VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, Grey Cluster, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) PHIL CHANG, Replacement ink for epson printers (Cyan 446003), 2015; VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, Grey Cluster, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Schloss Kummerow. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Schloss Kummerow. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) JORMA PURANEN, Icy Prospects #18, 2009; ANDRES SERRANO, The Church (St. Eustache II, Paris), 1991. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) JORMA PURANEN, Icy Prospects #18, 2009; ANDRES SERRANO, The Church (St. Eustache II, Paris), 1991. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Schloss Kummerow. Photo: © Bernd Lasdin
Schloss Kummerow. Photo: © Bernd Lasdin
MICHAEL WESELY, Seerosen von Giverny, 24.06.2014, 8:55 until 21:00. Photo: ©Michael Wesely
MICHAEL WESELY, Seerosen von Giverny, 24.06.2014, 8:55 until 21:00. Photo: ©Michael Wesely
VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, GREY CLUSTER, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, GREY CLUSTER, 2014. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) MARTIN DAMMANN, Freiland, 2015; Aus dem über heraus 2, 2016. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) MARTIN DAMMANN, Freiland, 2015; Aus dem über heraus 2, 2016. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, Pink Lady Cluster, 2015; ALEXEJ MESCHTSCHANOW, Music non stop, 2012. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) VIKTORIA BINSCHTOK, Pink Lady Cluster, 2015; ALEXEJ MESCHTSCHANOW, Music non stop, 2012. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) SABINE HORNIG, Untitled (Karl-Marx-Allee), 2002; SIEGFRIED WITTENBURG, Die reine Leere, April 1989. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
(l–r) SABINE HORNIG, Untitled (Karl-Marx-Allee), 2002; SIEGFRIED WITTENBURG, Die reine Leere, April 1989. Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Photo: © Thomas Wesely
Photo: © Thomas Wesely

Sammlung Schloss Kummerow is included in the Art Guide.

Kummerow (1)