Wolfgang Laib and the Collection of Kunsthaus Zurich
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Since the late 1970s, the German artist Wolfgang Laib (born 1950) has been developing a distinctive visual language. Working with natural substances and materials such as pollen, beeswax, milk, or stone, he creates works that, in the words of Harald Szeemann, “reveal immeasurably vast inner spaces through the smallest sculptural gestures.”
An exhibition in the ReCollect! series at Kunsthaus Zürich in autumn 2025 brings key works by Laib into dialogue with major pieces from the museum’s collection. His poetic and philosophical installations, placed alongside masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the late 20th century, open up a mysterious realm of beauty. At the same time, they act as catalysts for new perspectives on the Kunsthaus Zürich’s collection. Artworks and cultural objects from Asia, an enduring influence on Laib, make the universal dimension of his art directly tangible.
Further insights into the artist's work can be found in the catalogue
Wolfgang Laib, Touching the Essential, Kunsthaus Zürich, 2025