me Collectors Room Berlin / Olbricht Foundation

In 2010, Essen-based physician Thomas Olbricht had a new building constructed on Auguststraße in Berlin-Mitte to house his collection of art. Rather than providing a neutral exhibition space, the me Collectors Room largely resembles the rooms of a private home, which underlines the private character of the exhibition.
On the second floor of the Room, one finds the Olbricht art collection and "Wunderkammer". It is modeled after the princely collections of modern times that preserved extraordinary works of art, nature and science. Among the items on display are elaborately wrought trophies, cabinets, amber mirrors, corals, exotic animal specimens and anatomical models. For example, skulls, hourglasses and depictions of the grim reaper are among the items reflecting the theme of death and impermanence. These works from the Renaissance and Baroque are presented next to other items, such as Art Nouveau glasses and toy cars.
The second focus of the Olbricht Collection is contemporary art. The works of famous artists, including Cindy Sherman, Marlene Dumas, Andreas Slominski and Gerhard Richter, form the basis of the special exhibitions shown in the large spaces on the ground floor. Other international private collections are shown here as well as international artists less known in Germany.