JANOSCH: The Invention of Friendship

Janosch turned 95 this year. For more than half a century, his distinctive characters have brought a unique narrative to life. Entire generations have grown up with them.

What makes Janosch special is the radical authenticity with which he captures the world for both children and adults. That is why the exhibition does not merely recount the life and work of a famous illustrator and writer. It also tells of the utopian ideal of countering these uncertain times with something truly great: friendship, care, trust, and the certainty of not being alone.

Tiger and Bear have long since become more than just children’s book characters. They have become symbols of a relationship in which two very different beings do not have to change each other in order to belong together. They are allowed to be weak. They are allowed to make mistakes. They are allowed to be afraid; they are allowed to be overconfident and unreasonable; they are allowed to fail, to set out on a journey, and to return. What matters most is that they are there for each other.

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  Janosch, Untitled

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  Janosch, Untitled

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  Janosch, I'm giving you my heart

Janosch’s work poses a surprisingly profound question: What do we actually need to be happy? His answer is radically modest. We need: a home. Something to eat, a world that’s still waiting to be discovered, and someone to whom we can say, “Come on, let’s go together.”

Through well over a hundred original works and large-scale installations, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover one of Germany’s most popular artists. Through painting, watercolor, drawing, graphic art, and text, he creates his world of whimsical outsiders. Behind the seemingly naive lines, another side always lurks—rebellious, melancholic, and at times abysmally dark.

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  Janosch, The Little Apple Man I, undated, acrylic on paper, 35.5 x 32 cm

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  Janosch, Self-Portrait, 1957, oil on canvas, 71 x 55.5 cm

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  Janosch, The Little Apple Man II, undated, acrylic on paper, 37 x 34 cm

Opening hours:
Thursday through Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

Admission prices:
Children under 1 meter in height: free
Children 1 meter or taller: €5.00
Regular: €12.00, Reduced: €10.00
Families: 2 adults, 2 children: €30.00
Groups of 10 or more: €10.00 per person

School groups: €5.00 per person Guided tours are available by arrangement for groups of up to 20 people for a fee in addition to the reduced admission price. Various educational programs are available for school groups. Special opening hours can be arranged for group visits.

Contact:

Barlach Kunstmuseum Wedel
Mühlenstraße 1
22880 Wedel, Germany

Tel: +49 (0)4103 918291
E-Mail: kontakt@ernst-barlach.de

Directions:

The museum does not have its own parking lot. Parking is available in the immediate vicinity.
Take the S-Bahn line S1 to Wedel.

The exhibition is sponsored by the State of Schleswig-Holstein, the Pinneberg District, and the City of Wedel.

Courtesy
Art 28 GmbH & Co. KG, Tübingen.
© Janosch Film & Medien AG