interview Dr Tayfun Belgin, I try to stage things in the museum that others don't do

Dr Tayfun Belgin, Dieter Nuhr and galerist Dirk Geuer ©Osthaus Museum Hagen

Dr Tayfun Belgin: "I try to stage things in the museum that others don't do. I don't take part in actions where artists are pushed back and forth like in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt or Berlin."

Dr Tayfun Belgin is the museum director of the Osthaus Hagen in Hagen, Westphalia. His museum has been in the media several times this year because of star artists such as Sylvester Stallone, Bryan Adams and now Germany's most famous cabaret artist, Dieter Nuhr, all of whom are also outstanding artists. But the museum is very much in the tradition of its founder, Karl Ernst Osthaus, of showing "hot art" and exhibits not only stars but also artists newly discovered by Dr Belgin that no German museum has yet exhibited.

Osthaus Hagen was founded in 1902 by Karl Ernst Osthaus and was initially called the Folkwang Museum. The art-minded industrialist heir not only bought new Düsseldorf painters for his museum and works by Paul Signac, Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin, but he also set up a painting school for the Düsseldorf painters to ease their financial burden.

Alethea Magazine met Dr Tayfun Belgin on 2 May 2022 in Hagen on the occasion of Dieter Nuhr's exhibition, Von Fernen umgeben. Dieter Nuhr is actually a studied artist and only embarked on a stage career by chance. Dr Tayfun Belgin was fascinated by his artwork - travel photos painted with digital painting. Alethea Magazine also learned why Dr Tayfun Belgin considers Dieter Nuhr's work to be relevant to art history, how he "discovered" the artist and how he manages to ensure that his museum holds a special place in the German museum landscape, in keeping with the founder's tradition of discovering new art.

In general, what is the significance of digital painting that it has found a place in the Osthaus Hagen? By the way, the exhibition Von Fernen umgeben is a travelling exhibition that will go to Venice from 1 September 2022, to the Palazzo of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana as part of the Biennale.

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Name: Dr Tayfun Belgin

Occupation: Museum director Osthaus Hagen, art historian, former rock musician

Icon: One of the very first brand ambassadors in Germany.

"The double genius - you can touch the artist in our museum and experience him at a distance on stage in the evening."

For me, photography is an important medium in contemporary art, and has been for 30 years, alongside painting, sculpture and installations. Photography has also changed from analogue to digital - that is, from different technical possibilities and thus different artists working.

I got to know Dieter Nuhr's works a few years ago in a gallery and found his work exciting. But we as a museum have to keep our distance and wait a few years before making a decision. When I finally visited his studio in an old factory in Düsseldorf, I was thrilled by his large works of art that emphasise the distant nature of his travels - and also by the fact that he reorganises photos taken decades before and brings in new formal criteria. We also waited for the right time today - the opening of the exhibition is on 7 May at 4 p.m. and in the evening at 8 p.m. he will be performing in the Stadthalle Hagen - an exciting coincidence. The double genius - you can touch the artist in our museum and experience him at a distance on stage in the evening.

"It's all in the tradition of Karl Ernst Osthaus, who exhibited "hot" art - artists he had discovered himself."

Where does Osthaus Hagen actually stand in the German museum landscape?

Well, I don't worry about that at all - I try to stage things in the museum that others don't do. I don't take part in actions where artists are pushed back and forth like in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt or Berlin. My programme focuses on figurative art, but I also exhibit abstract art. I always try to keep up with the spirit of the times and not show works that have already been shown a thousand times. We will soon be exhibiting a Russian artist by whom we already have two works in our collection and whom no German museum has ever exhibited before, as well as an Armenian artist who has also never been shown before. It's all in the tradition of Karl Ernst Osthaus, who exhibited "hot" art - artists he had discovered himself.

"50% of success is having the right network."

But how can a museum, especially one that is somewhat removed from the metropolises, attract visitors and what is ultimately the key to success for a museum director?

First of all, clearly enthusiasm, which must carry you even in difficult times, because of course we are also subject to demands from politics or criticism. Unfortunately, we have a lot of bureaucracy and I have to spend 80% of my time at the computer. The rest of my time is spent visiting studios or travelling to see art. Then expertise in art, especially contemporary art, is needed.

Another important element that accounts for 50% of success is having the right network - a museum like Osthaus Hagen depends on sponsors for many exhibitions.