62 Taschen Collectie

The Taschen Collection on show at Reina Sofía

A private collection of the caliber of that of German publisher Benedikt Taschen allows us to
approach the art of a particular moment in history from a new point of view. Highlighting artists
and works that museums and other institutions may have ignored, the personal choice of the
collector often follows a path divergent from that of the art establishment. Hence the great interest
by MNCARS in bringing important private collections, such as those of Ileana Sonnabend, Ernst
Beyeler and Panza di Biumo, to the general public.

Benedikt Taschen began seriously building his personal collection in 1985, through his involvement
in the contemporary art world.
His collection is limited to a small number of artists by whom Taschen owns a great number of
pieces. This concentration both
traces the development of the work of a few over time and allows us to explore their scope and
vision in greater depth. Among the best-represented artists of the collection are Germans Albert
Oehlen and Martin Kippenberger, with more than a hundred works each, and the American artists
Jeff Koons and
Mike Kelley.

Additionally, Taschen owns many quality pieces representing key artists from the generation that
emerged in the 1980s and is still active today. Among them: German photographer Thomas Struth,
German multi-media artist Günther Förg, American photographer Cindy Sherman, American
painter Christopher Wool, and German-born (settled in England) photographer Wolfgang Tillmans,
not to forget photography doyens Julius Shulman and Helmut Newton, as well as other artists like
Elmer Batters and Eric Stanton.

In addition to collecting their work, Benedikt Taschen has had the privilege of establishing close
professional and personal relationships with all of these artists, collaborating on books and projects
related to his publishing house.

With the exception of those who have visited the Taschen family’s home or publishing house in
Cologne, the general public has never before had access to his collection. Not only has the present
collection never been shown, but not a single piece has been lent to an outside institution before
now. Comprising over a hundred pieces, including many of unusually large scale, the exhibition
represents the best of the artists and the collection as a whole.
—Marga Paz, MNCARS, Madrid

"Benedikt Taschen reveals his contemporary art", The Art Newspaper, October 25, 2004