Christian Megert
The former ZERO representative enjoys a great international reputation.
Vita and reputation of the artist
From 1952-1956, Christian Megert (*06.01.1936, Bern) trained at the School of Applied Arts in Bern. His first exhibition took place in 1956. This was followed in 1968 by his participation in documenta IV in Kassel - by this time at the latest, Christian Megert's work had attracted widespread and international attention.
In 1976, the artist was appointed to the Düsseldorf Art Academy, where he held the chair of ‘Integration of Fine Arts and Architecture’ until 2002. Christian Megert is still closely associated with the art academy and the ZERO foundation. He lives and works in Düsseldorf and Bern.
Museum solo and group exhibitions
Christian Megert's works have been exhibited in museums internationally since the late 1950s. In the following museums, among others (selection since 2010):
2010: Langen Foundation, Neuss/ 2011: Kunstmuseum Bern/ 2012: Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt/ 2013: Grand Palais, Paris; Kunstsammlung NRW, K20, Düsseldorf/ 2014: Guggenheim Museum, New York; Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf/ 2015: Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin/ 2016: ZKM, Karlsruhe/ 2017: Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Dänemark/ 2018-2019: Kunsthal Rotterdam, Niederlande; Museum of Old and New Art, Australien/ 2019: ZERO-Foundation, Düsseldorf/ 2019: Museum of Steel Art, Pohang/ 2020: Yayoi Kusama Museum, Tokyo/ 2021: Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau/ 2022: ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf/ 2022: Kunsthalle Praha, Prag/ 2022-2023: Kunstmuseum Ahlen/ 2023: IVAM-Centre Julio González, Valencia/ 2023-2024: Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne
Christian Megert and ZERO
Together with Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker, Christian Megert is one of the main representatives of the legendary artist movement ZERO (1958-66). Until the end of the 1960s, ZERO was an internationally influential avant-garde movement and an active network of important artists, including Yves Klein. Düsseldorf was the nucleus of ZERO.
Christian Megert met Heinz Mack in Paris in 1958, the year ZERO was founded. His contact with ZERO intensified in 1960. Christian Megert took part in the exhibitions of the artists of the ZERO movement with mirror objects, environments and kinetic works. In 1962, Christian Megert organised ZERO exhibitions in Switzerland. The ZERO phase laid the foundation for Christian Megert's international reputation today.
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The mirror in Christian Megert's art
The central artistic design medium and material in Christian Megert's work is the mirror. In 1959, Christian Megert used mirrors as light reflectors in his artistic work for the first time. His understanding of art was revolutionary: integrating mirrors into works of art and thereby expanding the works spatially was absolutely unusual and new.
With his mirror objects, Christian Megert abolishes the hierarchy between the producing, active artist and the initially passive viewer - in favour of an interaction that the artwork creates. The viewer becomes part of the work. But there is much more: the integration of mirror elements makes it almost impossible for the viewer to look at the works without seeing their own reflection on the one hand and perceiving the surrounding space on the other. This creates a synthesis of artwork, viewer and space.
Christian Megert uses mirrors as small and large-format fragments, as clear surfaces or asymmetrical shards. The resulting mirror reflections constantly create new viewing possibilities, they expand the work, create new spaces and expand reality. The works are simply fascinating!
The artist on his work:
‘I want to build a new space, a space without beginning or end, in which
everything lives and is invited to live; that is simultaneously quiet and loud, still and moving. [...] Try to find a space without beginning and end and boundaries. If you hold a mirror against a mirror, you will find a space [...] with unlimited possibilities, a metaphysical space.’
- from Christian Megert's well-known manifesto ‘A New Space’ (1961)
Christian Megert's works: mirror collages as unique pieces and editions
Megert also creates sculptural works in public spaces and extensive installations and environments. His pictorial objects and collages are available as unique pieces or strictly limited editions in small numbers, in which mirror elements are used in various ways.
The unique pieces
Christian Megert's unique pieces are three-dimensional collages under acrylic glass with a depth of many centimetres that form three-dimensional spaces. In addition to mirror elements, the artist also integrates lacquered wooden elements.
Small limited editions
Christian Megert's editions are works in which the artist combines mirror elements with paper/cardboard or acrylic glass, for example. These works are also collages! Christian Megert usually creates them in very limited editions. This is why his editions are sought-after collector's items.
Amazing effects are also created in the edition works. They change depending on the angle of view and incidence of light. Through the use of mirrors, the works open up an endless space with ever new perspectives - this is paradigmatic for Christian Megert's oeuvre.
The editions ‘Farbraum’ - ‘Spiegel im Quadrat’ - ‘Farbduett mit Spiegel’
In recent years (2017, 2020) and currently (2025), Christian Megert has created just three new editions, each with several variants. The editions are very different in terms of format, use of mirrors, design language and choice of colour and therefore have completely different, fascinating effects.
