OPENING CEREMONY
Invitation to the opening ceremony, 8 May 2008 at 6.30 pm

We could almost say: about time too. That there was a further monographic, privately funded museum. Another patron selflessly supporting art and artists. In Bern. For when was it that Prof. Dr. Maurice E. Müller came up with his decision to have a building erected for „Bernese“ artist Paul Klee, a worthy place not only for showing his work, but also for intensively researching it? 2005, or no less than three years ago. Six years has it been since the opening of the museum franz gertsch, the small but worthy predecessor of the Center Paul Klee. Well, soon there will be the extension for the new department of contemporary arts, privately funded by Stiftung Gegenwart, but this is an example that fits our criteria but partially, since it is not monographic.

Enter MUSEUM SAN KELLER. Sponsored by Marianne and Fritz Keller and the project artpicnic this museum, located in Köniz, will be dedicated exclusively to the work of San Keller, the successful Swiss artist who is not only well-known in its own country but has gained an international reputation. Marianne and Fritz Keller have been following, supporting and conserving the artist’s work for centuries and are thus designated aficionados of his works and predestined for the task of managing the MUSEUM SAN KELLER. It is also the works of their private collection that form the basis of the museum’s collection, which comprises almost the artist’s complete early works, as well as central works from all other creative phases. Furthermore the archive, run by Marianne Keller and open to the public, offers important background information to San Keller’s work.

It is due to the collectors’ dedicated and long-standing commitment that the fans of this up-and-coming Bernese artist have finally an additional opportunity to see and study his pioneering work. It was a long time in coming. We are excited to find out how the works of this conceptual, critical, but at the same time playful oeuvre will be integrated into the museum’s straightforward and plain architecture.


We would like to invite you to the opening ceremony on 8 May at 6.30 pm, with the following speakers:

Ueli Studer, director Department for Education, Social and Cultural Affairs, municipality of Köniz
– Dr. Juri Steiner, director Center Paul Klee
– Prof. Dr. Peter J. Schneemann, Institute of Art History University of Bern
– Beat Gugger, freelance curator, artistic manager artpicnic