HAMM.- Violence and ordinary life, political turmoil and private existence collide in War and Jam: George Grosz × Daniel Richter, a major exhibition bringing the work of two generations of German artists into direct conversation. Running from September 5, 2026 through February 21, 2027, the exhibition examines how artists respond to periods of social instability and political uncertainty.

Spread across approximately 800 square meters, the exhibition places the uncompromising social criticism of George Grosz alongside the expressive, often ambiguous paintings of contemporary artist Daniel Richter. Although separated by several generations, both artists have repeatedly turned to the tensions and contradictions of the societies around them.

The exhibition's title points to one of its central ideas: the uncomfortable coexistence of catastrophe and routine. War can unfold alongside breakfast; political upheaval can exist beside the most mundane aspects of daily life. It is within this gap between crisis and normality that the exhibition locates a powerful connection between Grosz and Richter.

George Grosz, born in 1893, became one of the most penetrating visual chroniclers of the Weimar Republic. His drawings, paintings and collages exposed the inequalities, violence and political corruption of German society with a precision that could be both satirical and merciless. His work traced an era marked by the First World War, the instability of the Weimar years and the emergence of fascism before his emigration to the United States.

Richter, born in 1962 and shaped in part by punk culture, approaches political and social conflict from a very different historical position. Since the 1990s, he has developed a highly recognizable pictorial language characterized by intense color, expressive figures and scenes that resist straightforward interpretation. Rather than delivering a single accusation or message, his paintings often emphasize the uncertainty and contradictions surrounding contemporary political experience.





For the first time, works by Grosz and Richter are being systematically presented in relation to one another. The pairing creates a dialogue not simply between two artists, but between different moments in German history and different ways of confronting the political realities of their respective periods.

The Richter presentation includes monumental paintings such as Billiards at Half-Past Nine from 2001, alongside smaller works and political collages that have rarely been exhibited. The exhibition also features new works developed specifically in response to Grosz, making the historical dialogue between the two artists a direct part of Richter's contribution.

Grosz is represented through a broad selection of collages, oil paintings, watercolors, ink drawings and portfolio works. Together, they provide a view across the major phases of his career, from the First World War and the Weimar Republic through the rise of fascism and his later years following his departure for the United States.

The exhibition is curated by Annette Vogel, a George Grosz specialist who has worked as a guest curator with German and international museums for 25 years, and Ronja Friedrichs, Deputy Director of GLM and Head of the Fine and Applied Arts Collection. It has been developed in close cooperation with Daniel Richter.

War and Jam: George Grosz × Daniel Richter opens to the public on September 5, following a press conference and opening event on September 4. The exhibition continues through February 21, 2027.

It is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Stadtwerke Hamm GmbH and Sparkasse Hamm.