Artist groups
Many artists in the founding collection did not work alone. 11 of them belonged to 5 groups, most of them in Munich. Groups formed, merged and regrouped.
The Munich line
- Gruppe SPUR1957–1965
- Gruppe WIR1959–1965
- Gruppe GEFLECHT1965–1968
- Kollektiv Herzogstrasse1975–1982
- King Kong Kunstkabinettsince 1977
- Gruppe SPUR1957–1965
Gruppe SPUR formed at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1957. Its founders included the painters Heimrad Prem, Helmut Sturm and HP Zimmer and the sculptor Lothar Fischer. With manifestos, a magazine of their own and a great deal of colour, they took on post-war art.
5 artists in the founding collection: Erwin Eisch, HP Zimmer, Heimrad Prem, Helmut Sturm, Lothar Fischer
9 works in the catalogue
- Gruppe WIR1959–1965
Three painters from the Munich Academy founded Gruppe WIR ("We") in 1959: Florian Köhler, Heino Naujoks and Helmut Rieger. Reinhold Heller joined in 1961, the sculptor Hans Matthäus Bachmayer in 1962.
1 artist in the founding collection: Hans Matthäus Bachmayer
2 works in the catalogue
- Gruppe GEFLECHT1965–1968
In 1965 the Munich groups SPUR and WIR joined forces. A year later the new group took its name: GEFLECHT, German for a mesh or network.
5 artists in the founding collection: HP Zimmer, Hans Matthäus Bachmayer, Heimrad Prem, Helmut Sturm, Lothar Fischer
7 works in the catalogue
- Kollektiv Herzogstrasse1975–1982
In 1975 a circle of artists in Munich came together as the Kollektiv Herzogstrasse. They painted together, improvising like musicians in free jazz.
5 artists in the founding collection: Hans Matthäus Bachmayer, Heiko Herrmann, Heimrad Prem, Helmut Sturm, Thomas Niggl
23 works in the catalogue
- King Kong Kunstkabinettsince 1977
Since 1977 Walter Amann, Wolfgang Schikora and Ulrich Zierold have painted together as the King Kong Kunstkabinett. There are no solo pictures: every work is made by all three.
3 artists in the founding collection: Ulrich Zierold, Walter Amann, Wolfgang Schikora
1 work in the catalogue
As of: 2026-10-12