“I see curatorial activity in the field of contemporary art as being closely connected with the recontextualization of overlooked or forgotten developments of the 20th century, leading me to incorporate insights from literature, architecture, design, and philosophy as often as possible. Bringing together my in-depth work with an awareness of current trends, along with a re-evaluation of aspects of the historical avant-gardes, continues to guide my work as an art scholar and informs the curiosity and dynamism of my research and projects.” (R.W.)

/Current

2025/26: Fluttering Hearts: Duchamp and the Women (Paris / New York 1933–1945) A non-restrictive re-vision of Modern Art [in progress] Exhibition project by Katharina Neuburger and Renate Wiehager ➔

Since January 2025: Curatorial consultation for the Wolfgang Hollegha Estate, Austria ➔

/Projects 2024–25

2/21 — 6/1/2025 / In Her Hands – Women sculptors of surrealism / Curators: Katharina Neuburger and Renate Wiehager ➔
Introduction ➔ Women Sculptors of Surrealismus ➔ Film ➔ Exhibition Tour ➔ Sonja Mancoba. Work ➔ Sonja Mancoba. Biography ➔ Isabelle Waldberg. Work ➔ Isabelle Waldberg. Biography ➔ Bibliography ➔

11/9 – 2/19/2025 / voices from abroad⎮Dhlamini, Okore, Siwani / Curator: Renate Wiehager ➔

/cv

Since May 2023 / Independent art historian, curator, and author
2001-2023 / Director of the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, Stuttgart/Berlin and the exhibition space Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin
1991–2000 / Director of the Museum Villa Merkel, Esslingen
1988–1991 / Curator for contemporary international art at the Stadtgalerie Kiel
1988 / Earned doctorate degree with a dissertation comprising the first comprehensive monograph on the work of the German Surrealist Richard Oelze (1900-1980)
1980–1988 / Studies in art history, theology, literature, and philosophy

/Texts 2025 – 2000

Academia.edu ➔

/Recent Publications(selection)

  • In Her Hands. Women Sculptors of Surrealism. Ed. by Katharina Neuburger and Renate Wiehager. Hirmer Verlag, München 2025. ➔
  • Moving in Stereo: Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, Stuttgart 2022. Co-curator Christian Ganzenberg, German/English, 96 pages. ➔
  • Perspectives. Futurisms. Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin, 2022. German/English, 84 pages. ➔
  • Friendship, Nature, Culture. Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin, 2021/22, German/English, 88 pages. ➔
  • Duchamp and the Women [in cooperation with Katharina Neuburger], Snoeck Cologne, 2020. German/English, 558 pages. ➔
  • 31: Women, Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin, 2020/21. German/English, 56 pages. ➔
  • Duchamp and the Women: Friendship, Cooperation, Network. Five dialogue lecture videos. [With Katharina Neuburger]. ➔
  • Duchamp: The Curatorial Work, Snoeck Cologne, 2019. German/English, 104 pages. ➔
  • Sound on the 4th Floor, curator: Gerwald Rockenschaub, Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin, 2020/21. German/English, 80 pages. ➔
  • Peter Roehr: Field Pulsations. Monograph. [Edited and with a foreword by: Renate Wiehager. Authors: Sarah Hayden, Paul Hegarty. Texts: Christian Ganzenberg, Nadine Hahn, Meredith North], Snoeck Cologne, 2018. English/German, 408 pages ➔
  • Evoking Reality, Mercedes-Benz Contemporary, Berlin, 2017. [Co-curator Nadine Henrich]. German/English, 60 pages. ➔
  • Duchamp as Curator, edited by Renate Wiehager with Katharina Neuburger, Snoeck Cologne, 2017. German/English, 360 pages. ➔
  • Serial Formations: Re-staging the First German Exhibition of International Minimalist Tendencies, Snoeck Cologne, 2017. German/English, 240 pages. Exhibition ➔Publication➔
  • Adolf Fleischmann: An American Abstract Painter?, Snoeck Cologne, 2016, 224 pages, German/English, 150 ill. ➔
  • Dieter Blum – Cowboys: The First Shooting 1992. Texts: Renate Wiehager and Friederike Horstmann, Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2016, 136 pages, German/English, 94 ill. ➔
  • Hartmut Böhm: or-or. Ed. Renate Wiehager and Christian Ganzenberg. Snoeck Cologne, 2016, German/English, 280 pages, 120 ill. ➔
  • Bethan Huws: On the Subject of the Ready-Made or Using a Rembrandt as an Ironing Board. Mercedes-Benz Art Collection Artist Book. Ed. Renate Wiehager, Dieter Association Paris, Berlin 2016, 80 pages, English, 129 ill. ➔
  • Cao Fei: I watch that worlds pass by, ed. by Renate Wiehager / Christian Ganzenberg in cooperation with The Pavillion, Beijing. Snoeck Cologne, 2015. German/English, 308 pages. ➔
  • Nic Hess: Drawing Installations 1995-2014, ed. by Renate Wiehager / Christian Ganzenberg, Snoeck Cologne, 2014. German/English, 304 pages, 355 ill. Exhibition ➔Publication➔
  • Minimalism in Germany: The Sixties. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2012. German/English, 520 pages, 573 ill. Exhibition ➔ Publication➔
  • Discourses in Art. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2010. Monographic texts on about 160 artists, German/English, 408 pages, 880 ill. ➔
  • Minimalism and After: Tradition and Tendencies of Minimalist Art from 1950 to Today. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2010. Monographs on nearly 190 artists, German/English, 632 pages, 838 ill. ➔
  • Blitzen Benz Bang: Mixed Media, Sculptures, Commissioned Works by the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2009. Monographic texts on around 170 artists, German/English, 520 pages, 830 ill. ➔
  • Jan Henderikse: Acheiropoieta. In cooperation with Antoon Melissen. First comprehensive monograph with list of works in public collections. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2010. German, 310 pages, 700 ill. ➔
  • Charlotte Posenenske: 1930-1985. In cooperation with Burkhard Brunn. First comprehensive monograph on the artist. Hatje Cantz Ostfildern, 2009. English, 216 pages, 410 ill. ➔

/Publications 2025 – 1988

Monographs ➔ Catalogs ➔

Since 1988, curator of about 200 exhibitions of German and international art, editor of more than 250 publications on international contemporary art, and author of some 300 essays on 20th- and 21st-century art in journals, anthologies, and catalogues.

/Notable Experience

Since 1990 / Member of Committees, Juries, and Friends Groups in the context of Contemporary Art
2003/2004 / Lectureship Contemporary Art and Corporate Culture at the Institute for Art History at the University of Stuttgart.
2018-2022 / Member of the Board of Trustees of the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
2019-2022 / Member of the Committee of Experts on the Cultural Property Protection Act for the State of Baden-Württemberg

Research Topics and Exhibitions since 1991:
Internationale Foto-Triennale Esslingen, four part exhibition series. Zero International 1992-1999, four thematic exhibitions on the European Zero movement around 1960. Since 1990, numerous thematic exhibitions on contemporary art, including, for example, the exhibition series Minimalism and After 2001-2012 / Private/Corporate. Dialogue of the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection with International Private Collections 2002-2014 / Classical : Modern. Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, 2006-2010 / Minimal/Conceptual and Applied, 2007-2012 / Chinese Contemporary Art 2015-2019 / Focus on Critical, Political, and Feminist Issues in Art from 2015 to the Present. ➔
Curator of a world tour of 150 works from the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection in Europe, the USA, South Africa, Japan, and South America, 2003-2013 ➔
2001-2010 Curator of the Mercedes-Benz Award for Contemporary Art and Culture in South Africa ➔
2001-2022 Curator of Mercedes-Benz Award Art Scope for Contemporary Art Japan and Germany ➔

Since 1988, Curator of Solo Exhibitions of German and International Artists, including: (selection, chronol.)
Hans Kock, Joseph Kosuth, Silke Radenhausen, Franz Erhard Walther, u.d. bauer and Margarete Rebmann, Adolf Fleischmann, Walde Huth, Rudolf Schoofs, Rolf Nesch, Marcel Odenbach, Rita Hensen, Gia Edzgveradze, Richard Merkle, Cor Dera, Tamara Khundadze, Roman Signer, Christian Marclay, Georg Herold, Martin Kippenberger, Sylvie Fleury, Heimo Zobernig, Gerold Miller, Simone Westerwinter, Pietro Sanguineti, Georg Winter, Charlotte Posenenske, John M Armleder, Cao Fei, Guy Tillim, Dieter Blum, Bernie Searle, Jane Alexander, Natalia Stachon, Nic Hess, Luca Trevisani, Bethan Huws, Hartmut Böhm, Andy Warhol, and Gerwald Rockenschaub.