MARKK - Museum am Rothenbaum- Kulturen und Künste der Welt

Cats rule the Internet — and our hearts along with them. Fluffy videos, cheeky memes, regal presence: Cat content has long been culture. But what lies behind the millennia-old fascination with the cat? The exhibition KATZEN! follows the most adaptable animal in cultural history from the revered ancient Egyptian goddess Bastet to the helpful mouser, from the mysterious witch's companion to the domestic lap cat and the majestic big cat. With a worldwide selection of exhibits, contemporary artworks, and original Cat Content from Hamburg-based cat households, the exhibition shows how contradictory and diverse the image of the cat is. It is regarded as cute and useful, sacred and mischievous, strong and independent, a bringer of luck and a symbol of misfortune at once. From a transcultural perspective, KATZEN! examines the diversity of meanings projected onto cats, their political instrumentalization, and media presence—from art history to pop culture. It invites you to sharpen your view of a familiar being that, despite its ubiquity, remains always mysterious. Funded by the Authority for Culture and Media of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the Hapag-Lloyd Stiftung and the Hubertus Wald Stiftung.

The stories about Pippi Longstocking and her father Efraim, who rules as king over Taka-Tuka-Land, are among the most popular works of 20th-century European children's literature. But was there really a Swedish "South Seas king"? The biography of the Swede Carl Pettersson (1875-1937) shows surprising parallels to the content of the Pippi books. Pettersson worked for the German Neuguinea-Compagnie in the Pacific, in which Hamburg-based companies were also involved. After a shipwreck, he settled on the Tabar Islands, established coconut plantations, and started a family with his Pacific wife, Singdo. Their children experienced colonial upheavals and educational methods in the context of mission schools. Using their life stories as an example, the exhibition playfully and interactively tells children and families a story of German colonialism in the Pacific. It presents colonial plantation systems and trade relations between the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago and the city of Hamburg. The exhibition encourages reflection on the current approach to colonial worldviews in children's literature.

Intimate portraits, everyday scenes, and documentary images – the historical photographs and sound recordings of Hans Heinrich Brüning (1848 – 1929) continue to resonate strongly in Peru today and open up new perspectives on identity, memory, and cultural self-determination. The collection of the German amateur researcher was created during his 50-year stay in the Lambayeque region, where he documented the cultural history and the lives of the local people with passionate interest. The collaborative exhibition engages with reinterpretations by local actors, scientists, and artists who transform these colonial-era documents into living archives. Afro-Peruvian or queer readings are part of the dialogue, as are the artistic photo-ceramics by Enzo Miguel Matute or the embroidered interventions by Marystela Camacho. In the digital age, new forms of appropriation and participation also emerge as communities further develop historical images and music online. The exhibition shows how Brüning's archive continues to resonate across generations and borders today.

The colonial occupation of the Kingdom of Benin by British troops in February 1897 marked the end of one of West Africa's most powerful kingdoms. One consequence was the worldwide dispersal of thousands of artworks made of bronze, ivory, and wood, looted from the royal palace. In light of their restitution, the MARKK's Benin collection is now being exhibited in its entirety. The exhibition offers various perspectives on the objects' original meaning, their outstanding artistic quality, and their significance in African art and cultural history, alongside information on the British colonial war and the current restitution debate. Special attention is given to the collection's provenance and its entanglement with Hamburg's trade networks.

Attribution: Jewish