Expressionist Scherer – more direct, raw, emotional

Nudes en plein air, a rugged mountain world, portraits of friends or literary characters, such as Dostoevsky’s famous Raskolnikov: in his all-too brief life, Hermann Scherer (1893–1927) accomplished a great deal and created an impressive oeuvre. Today, the Baden native is considered one of the most important expressionists in Switzerland.

Inspired by the paintings of Edvard Munch, but above all influenced by his collaboration with Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Scherer developed an expressive visual language, and painted in bold, bright colours. His themes are yearning and inner conflict, love and passion, fear and solitude.

Taking a lead from the »Brücke«, Scherer joined forces with other young artists. Hermann Scherer, Albert Müller and Paul Camenisch founded the »Rot-Blau« (Red-Blue) artists’ group in Basel on New Year’s Eve 1924/25.

In the three years up to his early death, Scherer was extremely productive. The exhibition focuses upon this period and features artworks held by the museum as well as numerous loans: paintings, some of them painted on both sides and presented accordingly, wooden sculptures and works on paper. A multimedia installation by photographer Eva Rugel takes visitors on a journey in search of traces of Scherer’s life and art, situating the works in the landscapes and scenes of today.

A second visit is a must: in mid- January 2020, the prints and drawings exhibited at the start of the show will make way for new ones – and new insights to boot!