Suche
Mein Konto
Stars over Paris: Discover Sergio Birga in Altenburg Castle!
Find out everything about the exhibition “Stars over Paris” in the Lindenau Museum Altenburg with art historian Vincent Rudolf on June 1, 2025.
Stars over Paris: Discover Sergio Birga in Altenburg Castle!
On June 1, 2025, a special Sunday tour will take place in the Prince's Palace of the Altenburg Residential Palace. The event, which begins at 11 a.m., is entitled “Stars over Paris – Sergio Birga and modernity.” The art historian Vincent Rudolf, who works at the Lindenau Museum Altenburg, will guide participants through the first German art exhibition dedicated to the work of the Italian painter and graphic artist Sergio Birga. This exhibition runs until August 10, 2025 and addresses central aspects of Birga's artistic work, which was strongly influenced by his time in Paris.
Sergio Birga, born on July 10, 1940 in Florence and died on August 26, 2021 in Cannes, lived in Paris from 1965, where he developed his artistic career. During this time he made many friendships with important artists, including Otto Dix and Conrad Felixmüller, who are discussed in the context of the tour. Rudolf will also shed light on the deep influences of Franz Kafka's literary work on Birga's work, which was characterized by political and autobiographical themes between 1963 and 1968.
Influence of Franz Kafka and political themes
Birga began to engage with art in his youth and initially studied at the Scuola d'Arte in Florence. He completed his studies at the renowned École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and worked there in the studio of Lucien Coutaud. His early works were strongly influenced by lively social criticism and personal themes. What is particularly notable is that Birga illustrated literary works from 1963 onwards, including stories by Franz Kafka, Rainer Maria Rilke and Karel Čapek. This connection to literature is particularly emphasized during the tour.
Over the course of his career, his focus changed: in the 1970s he dealt with the themes of changing city life, while in the 1980s he switched to pittura colta and integrated antique motifs into his work. At the same time, he created numerous religious works and illustrated current events, such as the fire of Notre-Dame and the corona pandemic, in his last paintings.
Insight into Birga's work and exhibitions
The exhibition in the Altenburg Residence Palace looks at important milestones in his career. Sergio Birga exhibited regularly in galleries and museums worldwide; His best-known solo exhibitions include those in the Jean-Pierre Lavignes gallery in Cologne (1976) and the Saphir gallery in Paris, which organized several exhibitions over the years. His works are also represented in well-known collections and museums.
There is a fee of EUR 4 to take part in the tour, reduced EUR 3. The event therefore offers art enthusiasts an excellent opportunity to learn more about the extraordinary work of Sergio Birga and to explore the connections between his art and Kafka's literary world.
Complete information about the opening and the exhibition can be found on abg-net.de. Further details about Sergio Birga and his important works can be discovered on the Wikipedia page, while the artistic connections to Franz Kafka and the recently discovered drawings are explained on frankzafka.de.