Special exhibitions

Special exhibition

September 27, 2024 until January 5, 2025

WE ARE NOT CARPETS
I tell you my story

The joint exhibition by weavers and researchers from Iran and Germany “WE ARE NOT CARPETS – Ich erzähle meine Geschichte” examines the centuries-long systematic marginalization and exploitation of carpet weavers. What happens when they weave their own stories and not the patterns ordered by clients? On display are newly created, unique personal carpets and their stories, which are experienced in a cinematic and poetic way. Some weavers from Iran will be present in the museum during the exhibition. This gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about the life and craft of carpet weavers and to understand the global and local challenges of the exploitative economic and social system. The exhibition is accompanied by weaving workshops for children and adults and discussion formats.

A cooperation with Cologne International Forum, the Global South Studies Center of the University of Cologne and the FWO-funded research project “Weaving Memories” at the University of Ghent.

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Special exhibition

I MISS YOU
About missing, giving back and remembering

Since 2021, the RJM has been intensively involved in the planned repatriation of the Benin bronzes from Nigeria. The restitution debates have never been as explosive as they are today. But what is behind the restitution demands? What do they mean in concrete terms for the people who are affected by them? What happened at the place of origin after an object was collected and left its place? What emptiness did it leave behind in its country of origin? "I MISS YOU" is a new series about grief, missing, melancholy, broken memories and emptiness.

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from 20 September 2023

SPACE4KIDS
Play time!

Since September 2023, SPACE4KIDS has been located in the centre of the museum 1,400 m2 that is all yours. Here you can play, discover and try things out to your heart's content - and that's is even expressly encouraged! Your ideas and questions this space to keep growing.

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Our exhibition formats

 

Special exhibitions 

The large exhibition hall is used for a wide variety of special exhibitions and exciting programmes.


Point of Focus

In the Point of Focus (Blickpunkt) exhibition area, we shed new and critical light on our own collection in close cooperation with the communities of origin.

 

Art intervention

To enliven our permanent exhibition, which opened in 2010, with new approaches and ideas, we regularly conduct “art interventions” – large and small, realised by invited artists, students, associations or by ourselves.