Exhibition: Max Neumann “Gegenfrage”

Gallery: Gallery of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro

Duration: February 03. 2026. – March 17. 2026.

The solo exhibition Gegenfrage by one of the most significant contemporary German figurative artists, Max Neumann, has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro (MCAM). On this occasion, the artist is presenting his work to the Montenegrin public for the first time.

In her address, curator Natalija Đuranović emphasized that the exhibition Gegenfrage represents an important segment of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro’s programmatic orientation, aimed at presenting relevant artistic practices of the contemporary European scene, as well as encouraging international cooperation and the exchange of ideas, experiences, and cultural values.

“It confirms the role of the Museum as a space of open dialogue between different cultural and artistic contexts, while at the same time connecting the artistic scenes of Germany and Montenegro.”

Speaking about Max Neumann’s artistic practice, curator Đuranović highlighted that his painting offers a powerful and introspective view of contemporary life, in which the human figure becomes a universal sign of the existential states of modern humanity, marked by feelings of isolation, tension, and alienation.

“His depersonalized figures, reduced almost to a sign, function as visual reflections of the inner psychological states of contemporary individuals—characterized by isolation, tension, and alienation—but also as general symbols of human beings shaped by modern social and urban circumstances.”

Đuranović noted that Neumann’s artistic practice is based on the belief that a painting can exist as an autonomous visual entity, whose meaning arises from the form itself and the internal logic of the image.

“Through minimalism of expression, reduction of color, and restrained figuration, the artist reduces the human figure to its essence, transforming it into a powerful abstract symbol of the contemporary existential condition.”

The exhibition was opened by H.E. Peter Felten, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Montenegro, who emphasized the importance of cultural cooperation between the two countries.

“This exhibition represents a strong example of the friendly and partnership-based relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Montenegro, confirming that culture and art play a special role in connecting our societies. It is a great honor that Montenegro has the opportunity to host an exhibition by one of the most significant contemporary German artists, thereby further strengthening cultural dialogue and mutual understanding between our countries.”

The artist himself also addressed the audience, thanking the team of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro for the organization and production of the exhibition, and expressing great pleasure at presenting his work to the Montenegrin public for the first time.

The exhibition was realized in cooperation with the Puzić Gallery and gallerist Esad Puzić. It is a retrospective presentation of Max Neumann’s work, originally curated at the Puzić Gallery, and is realized as an international project symbolically connecting the two countries.

The exhibition Gegenfrage will be open to the public until March 17.

Photo: MCAM