Cabinet of Wonders

Starting on April 24, 2026, the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum (HAUM) will present its first comprehensive retrospective exhibition in Europe dedicated to the internationally renowned artist Lothar Osterburg (born in 1961 in Braunschweig). Drawing inspiration from historical cabinets of curiosities and the HAUM’s gallery spaces, Osterburg creates multimedia visual worlds that straddle the realms of dream, memory, and fantasy, appealing to visitors of all ages.

His works combine printmaking – particularly the rare heliogravure – photography, sculpture, model making, and video. On view are key series such as “Piranesi,” “Babel,” “Alternative New York,” and “Waterline,” complemented by video works featuring music composed for this exhibition by Elizabeth Brown.

The exhibition combines monumental visual worlds with intimate cabinets inspired by historical interiors. It also features miniature-like stagings of Osterburg’s own studios – such as the unheated attic room in Braunschweig’s eastern Ring district. These stage-like scenes blend the aesthetics of the “peep box” with the meticulous documentation of a diorama. The touching and humorous transformation of everyday materials into art objects becomes tangible and repeatedly references artists, spaces, and works within the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum.

Osterburg has lived in the United States since 1987 and taught at Bard College for over 25 years. His works are held in international collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Library of Congress in Washington.