The SIG and the ICZ welcome the agreement between the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft and the Bührle Foundation – but appeal to the foundation’s sense of responsibility

The Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft (Zurich Art Society) has concluded an agreement with the Emil G. Bührle Foundation on further collaboration and the handling of the loan of more than 200 works at Kunsthaus Zürich. Philipp Hildebrand, President of the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, announced the agreement at the society’s annual general meeting. The negotiations with the Bührle Foundation took 11 months, and expectations were unsurprisingly high. The SIG and the Israelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürich ICZ welcome the announcement that the measures, largely drawn from Raphael Gross’s research report, will now be implemented swiftly.

The starting point is Raphael Gross’s report

The starting point for negotiations was the final report on research into Bührle presented by Raphael Gross in June 2024. In March 2023, the city and canton of Zurich and the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft commissioned Gross to conduct an independent review of previous provenance research on the Emil Bührle Collection. Gross and his research team concluded that the Bührle Foundation’s provenance research on the permanent loan did not meet the standards of the Kunsthaus and that further provenance research was urgently required.

The SIG and the ICZ, which were also represented at the round table, found confirmation in Gross’s report for their demand for transparency and reappraisal of the collection’s history – particularly with regard to works that had been in Jewish ownership.

The agreement is based on the recommendations of Raphael Gross

The main points of the agreement between the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft and the Bührle Foundation stipulate that the works on permanent loan will remain in Kunsthaus Zürich and will be made accessible to the public. There are also plans for a five-year research project on the Bührle Collection to be undertaken. This acknowledges the urgent need for further research into the history of the Emil Bührle Collection. The agreement also specifies that the Bührle Foundation reaffirms its commitment to seeking fair and just solutions for works on permanent loan where there are well-founded indications of expropriation under Nazi persecution. Over the next five years, three new presentation concepts will offer new perspectives on the works and provide greater historical context.

The SIG and the ICZ call on the Kunstgesellschaft to guarantee the independence of research

The SIG and the ICZ believe it is essential to build on Raphael Gross’s research results, as this is the only way to ensure the continuity of critical and independent research. They are in favour of the research team under Raphael Gross continuing its work independently of the Kunstgesellschaft and the foundation – as mandated by the round table. The SIG and the ICZ regret the Bührle Foundation’s continued refusal to assist with the costs of implementing the measures, and ask that it take responsibility and play an active part in the historical and critical analysis of its collection.

Photo © Kunsthaus Zürich, Franca Candrian